Monthly Archives: November 2024

Common Chimney Problems & How Professional Cleaning Helps

As the cold season approaches, homeowners rely on their chimneys to keep their homes warm and cozy. However, without regular maintenance, chimneys can develop issues that impact their efficiency and the safety of those in the home. Here are some

Chimney Clean Co. – Professional Chimney Cleaners

As winter approaches, cozying up by a warm fireplace becomes a cherished part of the season. But before you light that first fire, it’s essential to ensure that your chimney is ready. Preparing your chimney for winter is vital not

How To Reduce The Cost of a Chimney Sweep

Regular chimney maintenance is essential for safe, efficient fireplace use, but for many, the cost of chimney cleaning can add up. The good news? With the right approach, you can enjoy thorough chimney care while minimising expenses. Here’s a guide

Smoking back

There are many fireplaces that seem to smoke back into the house no matter what is done. In our experience, the most common cause is that the fireplace simply needs to be cleaned. This is especially likely if the fireplace has gotten worse over time, that is, the smoking back is worse now than it used to be.

Several other possible causes of smoking back are problems with the damper, chimney cap, grate, firewood, or structural problems with the chimney itself. At Chimney Clean Company, we do a full inspection with every cleaning, or we can also do just the inspection if the chimney doesn’t need to be cleaned. This inspection is designed to reveal any causes of smoking back.

Broken chimneys

In the Bay Area, many chimneys were broken in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Usually, these chimneys are broken at or near the roof line, although sometimes they can be broken further down, even at the ground level.

We are fully licensed masonry contractors. We rebuild broken chimneys. If they are broken at the roof line, this usually entails taking the chimney part of the way down brick by brick, installing steel reinforcing bars, getting an inspection from a city inspector, then rebuilding the chimney back up around the steel rebar.

Missing mortar or damaged bricks

Over time, many chimneys develop places that are missing mortar between bricks, or damaged bricks, either inside the firebox or on the outside of the chimney. These areas can usually be repaired, either by replacing the missing mortar or replacing the bricks themselves. Items such as these can be dangerous because they can allow flames, sparks or hot gases to enter the structure of the house.

Water entry

Sometimes the metal that seals the chimney at the roof, called “flashing”, will come loose or develop leaks. In this case, water sometimes comes into the ceiling of the room and causes water spots and stains on the sheet rock. This flashing should be repaired before the water causes more damage.

Common Chimney Problems & How Professional Cleaning Helps

We clean your chimney before it becomes a danger to your home

Smoking back

Broken chimneys

Missing mortar or damaged bricks

Water entry