We rely on our chimneys to provide us with warm and cozy living quarters. One thing we never expect is for them to give off a foul odor. However, chimney odors are fairly common and have various causes. The good news is that most of these foul odors can be eliminated by calling the chimney sweeps at Chimney Champions. Here are the most common odor complaints for homeowners in the Jacksonville area.
Our number one goal here at Chimney Champions is to keep your home and family safe. Our team of trained and licensed professionals works hard to ensure everything about your fireplace and chimney work properly. Chimney liners are a crucial safety feature of your chimney, and a damaged liner can cause major headaches. Luckily, liner replacements are a common repair for us. So, here are some facts you should know about this feature of your chimney.
Spalling is the industry term chimney inspectors use to describe chimney bricks that have begun to decay, loosen, or chip. A chimney with spalling bricks is not only an eyesore, but it’s also a safety hazard. Spalling bricks mean that your chimney is in poor health, and should be inspected and repaired right away. If you still have questions about what spalling is and why it matters, we’ve explained it here. When you’re ready, give the team at Chimney Champions a call for repairs.
At Chimney Champions, we get a lot of questions about fireplaces, chimneys, and chimney sweeps. While safety is our number one priority, so is providing additional education and resources. If you have a fireplace in your home, educating yourself on features and safety precautions is essential. Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions we receive as trusted chimney sweeps.
There’s no better time to get your chimney cleaned and inspected by a professional chimney sweep than right now. Spring is here, which means more rain, more pests, and probably some much needed deep cleaning. So, why not have your chimney cleaned and inspected as well? Although doing a complete spring clean is a lot of work, it can end up being a great payoff. With the help from the team at Chimney Champions, you can rest easily, knowing your flue and stack are moisture damage free and sealed up tightly for the hot summer months ahead.
Your fireplace provided you with numerous cozy fires during the chilly winter nights. Now, the the weather is getting nicer and it’s time to clear out all the ash and soot in your chimney. Many homeowners think they can just burn a self-cleaning log and move on, but that’s just not the case. The best way to clean your chimney is to call in the professionals. Luckily, Chimney Champions makes chimney cleaning easy and hassle-free, clearing your stack of all the fire hazards that you could face the next time you light a log.
What are Ethanol Fireplaces? Ethanol fireplaces are a ventless decorative fireplace that use bioethanol as the fuel source. Bioethanol is made from fermenting the sugar and starch components of organic matter so it is a eco-friendly. When using this style decorative fireplace, the UL listing of the product indicates that they are safe for use without a flue or chimney. Ethanol Pros and Cons Pros – When using most ethanol fireplaces, they do not produce soot or smoke so the system and your home remain clean after use. Ethanol fireplaces can be used in homes that were not originally designed with a fireplace. With the addition of an ethanol fireplace, you can have the ambiance but will not have to design a flue system. Also, the lack of venting system allows for unique designs such as the system below. Cons – While ethanol is considered a cleaner burn than typical … Continued
Avoiding Issues with Combustibles When remodeling a home with a fireplace, certain safety issues arise if proper care is not taken during the process. Factory built (prefabricated) fireplaces all come with very specific instructions as to where combustibles can and can’t be placed. This is where having or obtaining the manufacturers installation instructions is key. Fireplace Remodeling Step one Step one should always be finding the installation manual specific to your fireplace. The easiest way to find your installation guide is looking inside of the fireplace firebox for the data plate. Your data plate will provide you with the manufacturer and model of the fireplace and then you can typically find the manual online. If the data plate is no longer visible, painted over, or not found, contact your local chimney professional and they may be able to help. Fireplace Remodeling Step Two Now that you have your manual, make … Continued
Did you have a problem with birds in your chimney last year? Make sure to have a proper chimney cap installed before the Spring this year to avoid that problem again. You may have read in one of my previous blogs about the chimney swift, a migratory bird that is very prevalent in our area. As much as we would like to protect our Chimney Swifts, it is not healthy to have them in your chimney. Dangers of Birds in Your Chimney The number one danger that comes to mind is Histoplasmosis. Histoplasmosis is a type of lung infection. It is caused by inhaling Histoplasma capsulatum fungal spores. These spores are found in soil and in the droppings of bats and birds. This fungus mainly grows in the central, southeastern, and mid-Atlantic states. Bird Mites – A tiny mite that is only half-millimeter long in size is often carried by Chimney Swifts. Once … Continued
The Rumford Fireplace – An Early Modern Fireplace Design The Rumford Fireplace, invented in the late 18th century, was one of the most important innovations in fireplace technology at the time. Learn more about its history and how it works now! The History Of The Rumford Fireplace The Rumford Fireplace was first prototyped by Sir Benjamin Thompson, also known as the Count of Rumford. He was an American-born British physicist, who was very interested in studying heat and convection. He created this fireplace in the 1790s, by creating a shallow, small fireplace with widely-angled sides to reflect heat into the room more efficiently. The fireplace quickly became a sensation in London and spread throughout the world. How It Works Beyond its angled sides, the principal innovation of the Rumford Fireplace was the idea of restricting the chimney opening using bricks. This, in turn, resulted … Continued
