The leaves are falling, autumn is here, cool nights are becoming common. Before you know it, these three short phrases will be transformed to this: the trees are bare, winter is here, cold nights are common. Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney says it all the time: get ready now for the wintry days ahead. So, don’t delay; prepare now.
How to prepare:
If you heat with a gas fireplace, don’t fall into the trap of thinking your gas fireplace is free of the need for preventive maintenance or seasonal repairs. In fact, although natural gas is a clean-burning fuel, it nevertheless produces residues and other byproducts of combustion, just as burning wood or pellets does. In addition, maintenance and repairs are in fact occasionally required.
As chimney and fireplace experienced experts, Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney can recognize the signs of needed maintenance for your gas-heated fireplace and its venting system.
Proper exhaust venting is key. Even though natural-gas-burning appliances typically do not produce a lot of visible soot, they can leave deposits in your chimney. And these deposits can, over time, harm your chimney and its liner and brickwork. The solution? Have your venting system and chimney inspected by one of Old Smokey’s Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) professionals. Even the use of a gas log or gas fireplace calls for maintenance consisting of — at the very least — an inspection of your chimney system to discover any hidden problems.
Incomplete combustion is one of the potential problems with a fireplace that uses gas logs or another source of natural gas as a fuel. If condensation results, it can have a corrosive effect on your flue and chimney. Nobody wants an acidic material eating away at the mortar and brick of your chimney from the inside.
According to the CSIA, these symptoms could point to a venting system problem!
- Damp patches on interior walls or exterior walls
- Peeling wallpaper
- Blistered paint
- Stains on the ceiling around the chimney
- White stains on the outside of the masonry chimney
- Eroded mortar joints
- Crumbling bricks
Have one of Old Smokey’s chimney sweeps perform routine maintenance to determine the extent of any of these symptoms. You don’t want debris blocking your flue. This could potentially expose the occupants of your home to carbon monoxide and other dangerous combustion byproducts.
Get your fireplace inspected.
Call Old Smokey’s to inspect your gas fireplace and its appliances. Enlist one of our highly trained technicians certified by the CSIA. For 20+ years, Old Smokey’s has been serving homeowners with gas fireplaces in northern Indiana, northern Ohio and mid-Michigan.
Call us at 260-424-0009 or click here now to schedule an appointment. Although gas logs and fireplaces fueled by natural gas are a clean alternative, they still perform combustion. Consequently, periodic maintenance such as chimney sweeping and other measures are called for.
Our point is simple. As the seasons change, make sure your gas fireplace and everything connected to it get a thorough and professional inspection. Old Smokey’s is your reliable go-to source for this easily overlooked but important task.