Inspection of the day – Not a good idea!

January 4, 2019 | A Day in the Life

So this was a particularly scary inspection to say the least! The back story is that the client was having issues with water intrusion leaking onto the ceiling around the chimney. Let’s make this one interactive… Starting in the attic I see that getting to the chimney area is not going to be easy! After maneuvering around and crawling on the trusses/insulation, I make it to the chimney. The moisture meter and infrared imaging pick up active water intrusion below the flashing so that part was solved pretty quickly. Now for the scary part.. The chimney was supported by wood framing that had been impacted by the water intrusion and was beginning to come apart! Literally a ton of bricks in the attic that were barely supported from below. Definitely and tough fix and more importantly a life safety concern 🙁 Yet another reason to have your chimney inspected by … Continued

The importance of clean drop cloths

January 4, 2019 | A Day in the Life

As a professional chimney sweep, I do everything in my power to make sure that my client’s home stays spotless throughout the service. One key thing that all chimney sweeps should consider is how often they are washing their drop cloths. Over the years I have seen both ends of the spectrum from fellow sweeps but I personally only use them once before washing them. It only takes one dirty drop cloth to ruin a expensive rug or permanently put a stain on carpet, especially if you have been working with a LP gas system prior. I would recommend looking at a long-term approach and investing in a industrial washer and dryer. This investment will pay off with a steady supply of clean drop cloths for you and your clients.

Inspections with drones

December 31, 2018 | A Day in the Life

Drones can be a great way to inspect hard to reach chimney systems, especially the top crown area. Below are a few examples: Steep pitch roof with a very tall chimney. Three story house on the beach with water intrusion damage. Overhead view of the missing chase cover and active water intrusion area. A collapsing chimney system on a neighbors house next to the inspection (life safety hazard). The last drone image was a prior inspection with seven fireplaces on a tile roof! A few things to be mindful of when your inspector is using a drone: Does their liability insurance cover drone usage? If not, are they using a secondary company such as Verifly to cover liability while the drone is in use? Are they certified by the FAA? This is key training to know the rules, regulations, and safe flying conditions. In summary, drones can be a great … Continued

Mike the Chimney Guy on the news!

December 30, 2018 | A Day in the Life

https://www.news4jax.com/news/keeping-chimney-properly-cleaned-could-save-house-from-fire

Let’s talk about flashing!

December 22, 2018 | A Day in the Life

Sorry to disappoint you but particularly counter flashing for masonry chimneys. Counter flashing is designed to be pointed into the mortar of the chimney and ensure a water tight seal of your chimney at roof level. Sounds easy enough, but this has become a issue between roofers and chimney professionals over how it should be done. In the recent years, roofers no longer point the counter flashing into the mortar and instead attach and seal it over. Does it meet current code? Yes. Will it eventually leak? Very likely. Florida is a very harsh environment for sealant, or any material for that matter, so the typical outcome after a few years is deteriorated sealant and water intrusion into the home. Above is what I typically see with counter flashing a few years after installation, not good! So the next time you are having your roof replaced I highly recommend having … Continued

Inspection of the day – Active water intrusion

December 22, 2018 | A Day in the Life

My first appointment today was a active water leak coming down from the pre-fabricated fireplace and onto the front tile and the new wood floors! Unfortunately this is a very common call for inspection and the number one culprit is this guy.. The roof was replaced recently but roofers rarely inform the client that the chimney chase cover is essentially the roof of the chimney and likely should be replaced as well. If you are having your roof replaced, consider replacing your chase cover or at least have someone on the roof snap a picture and take a look at the condition of the chase cover.

Potential hazards of older homes

December 22, 2018 | A Day in the Life

I love working on older systems, partially due to working on several hundred growing up and living in a home built in 1926. Older homes have amazing character but can also come with some pretty substantial deferred maintenance. One unexpected hazard that comes up quite frequently is the potential for a partial chimney collapse due to deterioration. The picture below was the neighbors home but the the neighbors chimney system was a life safety concern for the clients living on both sides (falling bricks can kill). As you can see, no one should be standing below that chimney! To summarize, please have your history chimney system inspected by a professional and ask them to take a quick peek at the neighbors chimney systems just to be safe.

Tip of the day – Pooling water

December 21, 2018 | A Day in the Life

Water intrusion can be a costly headache but avoided if caught in time. This morning I inspected a chimney system with pooling water and deteriorated sealant around the flue termination. Have a look: [wpvideo jRWiTEOA ] While it may not look like much from above, check out what is happening below: Water makes it’s way past the deteriorated sealant and down the outer flue liner. The result is moisture that can enter through the attic, ceiling, and/or on top of the fireplace. It is always important in Florida to keep everything sealed and maintained, even those hard to reach places 😀.

One option for a fireplace that has seen better days

December 21, 2018 | A Day in the Life

Sometimes the elements win the battle against a fireplace, especially ones that have gone several years without maintenance. The fireplace above was no longer operational but the client still wanted something cost effective and would look better than this! It is a painful day for a chimney professional but sometimes the best option is to convert a system to electric. Step One – Cap off the chimney chase Step Two – Concert to electric As you can see the before and after is a pretty dramatic difference. This is also a popular option for clients with rental properties where they do not want the liability of the renter using a wood or gas fireplace. Disclaimer – When converting over to an electric system the client must be fully aware that eletric is the only option after the conversion and that using the fireplace for any other means could result in … Continued

The importance of hiring a experienced chimney sweep

December 20, 2018 | A Day in the Life

Recently I inspected a home that was owned by a home inspector (I will not give the name) and while nothing out of the norm was observed or detected, I was called in to do a comprehensive inspection of the fireplace. I have known the home inspector for a while and he always recommends a level II inspection to get a full scope of the health of the system. I am very glad that he took his own advice and had me come inspect his fireplace! Below is what I found: [wpvideo 4jxBslrg ] When the home was remodeled the contractors did not install 68″ of flue liner and all of the flue gases were terminating into a wooden chimney chase! The entire missing section was hidden inside of the chimney chase and nothing out of the norm was visible from the attic as well. Luckily the issue was found … Continued