Carbon Monoxide

January 13, 2019 | A Day in the Life

Let’s talk about a very serious topic, Carbon Monoxide (CO). Carbon Monoxide is a odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas that can be deadly to humans and animals. Carbon Monoxide is a natural byproduct of combustion and one of the purposes of why things such as fireplaces, gas dryers, and furnaces have venting systems to get deadly gases out of the home. According to the CDC, each year more than 400 Americans die from unintentional Carbon Monoxide poisoning, 20,000 visit the emergency room, and over 4,000 are hospitalized. This a a staggering number that could be drastically reduced with the installation of Carbon Monoxide detectors in the home. Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning – Dizziness – Feeling weak – Headache – Upset stomach – Vomiting – Confusion – Chest pains Symptoms are often described as “flu-like” and sleeping or drunk individual are more likely to die from Carbon Monoxide poisoning … Continued

Metal surrounds

January 12, 2019 | A Day in the Life

Popular around the 1980’s, the metal surround can be seen throughout Jacksonville and Northeast Florida. Some of these systems are still operational and one potential hazard of the metal surround is its tendency to trap combustibles around the flue termination, something that can be a huge potential fire hazard. A typical metal surround: Now for a look inside the surround: This is what I typically see around the surround, keep in mind this is a high heat area where the flue gases terminate. Here is where it gets a little more complicated.. some surrounds have exposed outer flue liners so if you try to clean the surround out without dismantling the upper section, you can push debris into the liner where it drops down towards the interior fireplace and is now stuck between the liners! Another potential issue that comes up with this design is they do not come with … Continued

Don’t forget about kickout flashing

January 12, 2019 | A Day in the Life

One common issue I see is where flashing is replaced on a chimney with replacing the kickout flashing. In Florida we have to constantly battle water and considering the amount of water that runs off of a roofline, kickout flashing can divert thousands of gallons of water over time. Here a something that you might find very interesting. During a rain storm that dumps one inch of rain if your have 1,000 square foot of roof, over 600 gallons of water will run off! Jacksonville Florida receives over 50 inches of rain per year so that is over 30,000 gallons of water coming off of your roof per year! Let’s have a look at the long-term impact of forgetting this key element: The first two photos show a chimney chase that had developed large hole following the pathway of travel starting where the kickout flashing is missing. Here is another … Continued

A quick tip for potential homeowners

January 12, 2019 | Training and tips

Sometimes I come across a situation where the sellers have either painted the attic (white most of the time) or try to keep me from inspecting the attic area. The is a instant red flag and once I gain access, typical I find a lot of damage. Just a few instances of severe attic damage from a previous fire and one attempt at hiding the damage by painting the attic. Always make sure the attic is inspected when buying a home, it could potentially cost you thousands of dollars!

Ever wonder what it looks inside a masonry chimney?

January 10, 2019 | A Day in the Life

Due to a collapsed top crown, here is a good look. This shows what eventually happens when deterioration wins the battle against a chimney crown. Once we reach this point massive amounts of water intrusion and further damage becomes priority. Please take care of your crown before it reaches the point of no return.

Gas starters in a factory built fireplace

January 10, 2019 | A Day in the Life

This is a interesting one that I always get pushback from both home owners and gas installers.. While gas starters may be allowed in masonry systems, they are not approved for factory built fireplaces and could lead to over firing of the system and insurance issues if a fire occurred. Factory built (pre fabricated) fireplaces are a UL listed appliances and only approved parts can be used in these systems. It may be a convenient way to start a fire but it is not worth the risk!

Sometimes sharing is NOT a good thing

January 10, 2019 | Dangers!

If you live in a multi-family condo or apartment you may have a situation where several flue systems are sharing one common space. The concern when this happens is that all parties need to maintain their chimney system to help ensure the safety of everyone in that shared space. This is not always the case and typically the property management company does not have definitive guidelines for maintenance or unsafe systems. The example above is one common situation where four condos are sharing one chimney chase. The condo inspected had a system that was no longer safe for use and using the system could have led to fire and or carbon monoxide entry into the condo, or even adjacent condos. Currently, the only proactive prevention you can take is to make sure you have the appropriate amount of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home and always have multiple … Continued

A roofing disaster

January 10, 2019 | A Day in the Life

On one of my inspections yesterday, I encountered an absolute mess of a job performed by a roofer I will not mention. A new roof was installed a few months ago without replacing the chimney step and counter flashing and now the deteriorated flashing has started to allow water intrusion into the home. The roofer was called out again and this was the initial fix: 🤦‍♂️ Not only did they not replace the flashing (again), they covered the cracks on the crown with sealant that I now have to remove before correctly repairing the crown. All of this could have been prevented if the job was done correctly in the first place and it would have also prevented the water damage that is now inside of the home.

Radiant heat and the impact on combustibles

January 6, 2019 | Chimney Basics

So you may have heard me talk about clearances to combustibles once or twice before but here is a quick example of what the heat does to combustibles and how it can start a fire. As heat is absorbed by a combustible, in the form of radiant heat, it slowly breaks down the ignition temperature that is needed to ignite the combustible. the process is called pyrolysis which is the thermal decomposition of a material through elevated heat. Ignition temperature of wood can drop to as low as 300 degrees after long-term exposure to heat! One very key thing to also remember with ignition of the combustible is that it will ignite without any direct contact with flame. Here is a example in fast forward: 1. Initial break down of wood from heat As you can see, the Wood is not touching any flame throughout the timeframe. 2. Ignition temperature … Continued

2019 for Mike the Chimney Guy

January 6, 2019 | A Day in the Life

So anyone who knows me is aware that I am a little bit obsessed with training and certifications. I typically spend a few thousand dollars a year and several weeks of my time on education and obtaining new certifications. 2019 will finally be the year for one of the most difficult certifications of all – The NFI Master Hearth Professional. A MHP has passed and is currently certified in all three of the major NFI categories: -Gas -Wood -Pellet Stove Until this year I haven’t put much effort into mastering the installation and maintenance of pellet stoves, we really do not see them down South! 2019 will finally be the year so time for me to get studying.

nfi certified