Although your chimney seems like an indestructible structure, built to last for many generations, in truth there are many things that can break down over the course of time due to wear and tear. It seems as though it’s a simple structure, but there are also many parts that can break down. When you’ve been in business for fifteen years and counting like Chimney Doctors of Colorado has been, you see many things that need repair. Not only have we seen things, we’ve repaired them!
Chimney Odors
You may have noticed over the summer that your chimney was emitting some nasty odors. If this is the case, it could very well be that you have a big creosote buildup that needs to be dealt with. When you burn a fire in your fireplace, there are several byproducts that are released through the resulting smoke. These byproducts include carbon monoxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, methyl chloride, and acetic acid. But sometimes, when the warm smoke hits the cool surface at the top of your chimney, it can condense and form a nasty substance called creosote. This material has a strong odor, especially in the warm, humid summertime, but throughout the rest of the year as well. We get rid of that odor by giving your chimney a great cleaning every year, which is how often the Chimney Safety Institute of America suggests you should have your chimney inspected and cleaned.
Chimney Fire
Speaking of creosote, the odor isn’t the biggest problem creosote buildup can cause. More hazardous is the fact that creosote is extremely flammable. Even as little as an eighth of an inch buildup can cause a chimney fire if a stray spark catches in it. Although it seems like this would be an obvious occurrence, according to the CSIA, a chimney fire often goes unnoticed. This is especially dangerous because the chimney fire may cause damage to your chimney without you even knowing it exists. When we do your annual inspection, damage from a chimney fire is one thing we’ll be on the lookout for. We have the experience to uncover the damage and the expertise to repair it.
Flashing Repair
Another area of your chimney that may need repair is the flashing. If you look on your roof, you may notice that there are steel sheets covering the junction of your chimney and the roof. This is the flashing, and it is specially designed to keep your chimney leak free. Trouble is, these strips are susceptible to damage from high winds and precipitation. They can become rusted or cracked or can blow loose in strong winds. We’ll make sure to check your flashing so that your home stays dry in intemperate weather.
We’ll Do It All
No matter what type of repair your chimney may need, at Chimney Doctors of Colorado, we know how to repair it! Give us a call before and you’ll be fixed up by the time snow flies!