Chimney sweep service for homes in Azalea Park

Rods and brushes sized to your flue

A brush that is too small spins through the middle of a flue and leaves the corners coated. One that is too large jams or strains the lining. Before any cleaning, our technicians measure the flue opening and choose a brush head that matches its size and shape, whether round, square or rectangular.

The rods connect in sections, so the length grows with the chimney. Flexible rods follow a flue that offsets. Stiffer rods give more push in a straight run with heavy deposits. Several brush heads may be used in one flue as the work moves from loose soot to more stubborn buildup.

Every sweep we do starts with that match, because the right brush does more of the work than extra force does.

• Flue size and shape measured before brushing
• Brush head matched to the lining
• Rod length set to the full height of the flue
• Extra passes where deposits are heaviest

Taking off and resetting a metal chimney cap

On a factory-built chimney, the cap often has to come off before the flue can be brushed from the top. How it comes off depends on the system. One maker's instructions, for example, have the spark arrestor released by loosening its bolts and twisting it free, then reinstalled with every bolt fully engaged in its slot.

The steps are the ones written for the chimney on your roof. Our technicians keep the parts together, clean the screen while it is off and reset the cap so it sits square and locks the way the maker intended. Nothing is swapped for a part from another system, because the chimney was listed with its own parts.

If the cap is bent, rusted through or missing fasteners, our crew in Azalea Park tells you before putting it back and quotes the correct replacement separately.

What our 24/7 emergency line is for

Fire, smoke and carbon monoxide come first. If a fire is burning in the chimney, smoke is filling the room or a CO alarm is sounding, get everyone out of the house and call 911 before calling anyone else.

After that, the 24/7 emergency line is there for chimney problems that cannot wait for a regular appointment. An animal has dropped into the firebox, a cap is hanging off the chimney, the damper is stuck open with debris falling through it, or the fire department has told you not to use the fireplace until it is checked.

Our crew in Azalea Park secures the problem first, whether that means removing debris, closing off the flue or covering an open top, and then gives you a written estimate for the permanent fix. The free inspection still comes before any repair.

Wax and sawdust logs in stoves and inserts

Wax and sawdust logs are an easy way to get a fire going, but EPA guidance adds a caution. Many of them are made for open-hearth fireplaces only, and a wood stove or fireplace insert owner should check the appliance's operating instructions before burning one.

Where manufactured logs are used, the same guidance suggests choosing ones made entirely of compressed sawdust, and the directions on the wrapper still apply. Stoves and inserts are built around a certain fuel, and the maker's instructions decide what is safe to burn in them.

If you are unsure, our crew can check your stove or insert manual during the visit, and the written record can note what the maker allows. If the manual is lost, the model number on the appliance label is usually enough to find a copy.