Old Smokey's Fireplace & Chimney's Blog

Your Local Certified Sweeps

Owning a chimney is a big responsibility. If there are issues with your chimney system that you are not aware of, it can cause complications with your fireplace’s performance, and be a considerable fire or structural safety hazard. With so much at risk, it is important that you choose a chimney sweep with the skills, training, and experience to inspect, maintain, and repair your chimney and fireplace. In addition to this, you want a chimney sweep that is going to conduct their business fairly and without cutting any corners. That’s why we here at Old Smokey’s want to let our customers know why it is important to us that all our chimney sweeps receive and maintain a certification from the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). Only a CSIA certified chimney sweep is qualified to perform maintenance, inspections, and repairs on your chimney and ventilation system.

What is a CSIA certification?

The CSIA is a non-profit organization that was originated to create certification standards for chimney sweeps in relation to chimney and ventilation maintenance and safety. In addition to this, the CSIA also requires that chimney sweeps take an oath, promising to practice ethical business practices.

There are a few steps required to becoming CSIA certified. First, sweeps need to go through a rigorous training schedule related to the latest chimney, fireplace, and ventilation maintenance and repair techniques. Sweeps will then need to go through another training on chimney and ventilation safety issues and standards. Once their training is over, chimney sweeps need to pass a comprehensive exam based off of their training.

Once they’ve passed their exam, there is one final step that sweeps need to complete before certification. The CSIA has every sweep to create a personal code of ethics and conduct. This code of ethics is created with the consumer’s well being in mind. Each code must state that a chimney sweep will always keep their costumer’s safety as a top priority when working on their chimney and ventilation systems. They must also make a promise to never cut corners when working for a customer and to conduct ethical business standards. Once they develop their code, sweeps must swear to uphold their code, and perform their work with integrity. Once this step is completed, sweeps are eligible for certification.

Once a certification is issued, that doesn’t mean that a chimney sweep is done with the certification process. Technology is always changing, so sweeps need to stay current with the latest techniques related to chimney maintenance and safety. That’s why the CSIA requires all sweeps to be recertified every three years.

If you are in need of a chimney inspection or repair, now is a great time to schedule one! Beat the fall rush and call Old Smokey’s today to have one of our CSIA certified chimney sweeps inspect your chimney. If you live in the northern Indiana, northern Ohio, or mid-Michigan region, you can reach us at 800-876-6539 or 260-424-0009, or schedule an appointment online today!

Why does my fireplace stink?

Your fireplace brings a warm and inviting ambiance to your home. However, this ambiance can be ruined if your fireplace is producing odors that are unpleasant. There are many reasons why your chimney and fireplace are creating bad smells. Here at Old Smokey’s, we want to help you identify what is causing your chimney odors. Not only that, we can remediate them so you can get back to enjoying your living area.

What causes chimney odors?

There are many reasons why your chimney and fireplace might be producing odors, but some reasons may be more common than others. One of the more common reasons your fireplace is causing odors is because of something called negative air pressure. Modern homes are built to be as energy-efficient as possible by installing windows and doors that are airtight. This is good for your home’s energy consumption, but it does have one unexpected side-effect. Because there is no air flowing through your home, the air pressure inside your home drops forcing it to draw air from the outside. If your home can’t pull air through doors or windows, it will pull air through the chimney along with any odors inside your chimney.

Pressure Imbalances

There are some things you can do to address pressure imbalance. The easiest solution is to simply open a window to relieve the negative air pressure in your home. This solution only works for a while and once your home builds up negative air pressure again, you will have to open the window again. So, although this relieves air pressure conditions in your home, it is only a short-term solution. Normally, your damper should block moist air from coming down your chimney. If it isn’t, it needs to be replaced. At Old Smokey’s we suggest replacing your old damper with a top-sealing damper. Top sealing dampers will block air from coming down your chimney (as well as rain, animals, and debris) and are very durable.

Chimney Moisture

Chimney moisture is another common cause of chimney odor. When water condenses inside your chimney, it can often cause a musty smell. If condensed moisture is allowed to mix with creosote, it can also cause some pretty intense and offensive odors. If moisture is prevented from getting into your chimney, it can remediate a lot of these issues. There are a lot of reasons why moisture could be entering your chimney. Damaged chimney caps, cracked masonry, and a faulty chimney liner are just a few of the reasons that moisture is entering your chimney. If you notice moisture dripping from your chimney into your fireplace, call us. We can identify the cause of the issue and fix it for you.

There are some other reasons why your chimney could be creating odors including, excessive creosote build-up, dead animals, and rotting vegetation. A lot of odor issues can be identified and resolved by scheduling an annual chimney inspection with one of the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) chimney technicians at Old Smokey’s. Don’t let your smelly chimney ruin your home’s ambiance anymore! If you live in the northern Indiana, northern Ohio, or mid-Michigan region, call Old Smokey’s at 800-876-6539 or 260-424-0009, or schedule an appointment online to meet with one of our CSIA certified masons today!