Chimney sweep service for homes in Storey Park

Top-sealing dampers, cables and gaskets during a sweep

A top-sealing damper closes the flue at the top instead of above the firebox. A spring holds its lid open, and a cable runs down the flue to a handle inside the fireplace that pulls it shut. A gasket on the lid seals against the top of the flue when it closes.

Sweeping a flue with one of these takes care. The cable hangs inside the flue, so brushes have to work around it without kinking or snagging it. Soot on the gasket keeps it from sealing, and creosote on the spring can slow the lid.

With the lid open, our crew brushes around the cable, wipes the gasket clean and tests the lid from the handle before leaving. A torn gasket, a frayed cable or a weak spring is written up as a separate repair on your estimate.

A sturdy screen and a clear three-foot zone

NFPA heating safety advice is simple and specific. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from the fireplace, and keep a three-foot kid-free zone around an open fire. Use a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying out of the opening. The advice holds for a small fire as much as a large one.

That zone includes the things that tend to drift toward the hearth, such as rugs, stacked firewood, seasonal decorations, pet beds and toys. A screen needs to cover the whole opening and stand steady without tipping.

When our crew finishes a sweep, they check that the screen or doors are back in place and in good shape. A bent or torn screen, or one that no longer covers the full opening, is noted on the written record so you can replace it before the next fire.

Damage found mid-sweep gets its own estimate line

A sweep exposes surfaces that were hidden under soot, so it is a natural time to find damage. Here is what can show up once the brushes finish.

None of these is fixed as part of the sweep, and none is added to the bill without your say. Our technicians stop, show you what they found and explain what it means for using the fireplace. If a finding means the fireplace should wait until it is repaired, they say that plainly too.

Each finding becomes its own line on the written estimate, with the repair described in plain words. You can approve the sweep in Storey Park now and decide on repairs separately or later.

• Cracked or shifted flue tile
• Loose or missing mortar in the lining
• A damper plate rusted thin or warped
• A cap screen torn or rusted through

Why creosote in the flue is a fire hazard

Creosote is fuel. EPA guidance describes it as a highly combustible black or brown residue and says that if enough builds up in the chimney it could cause a chimney fire. One chimney maker adds that ignited creosote makes an extremely hot fire.

A fire belongs in the firebox. A thick layer of deposits in the flue gives heat and sparks from below something else to catch, out of sight and above the room. The thicker that layer grows, the more fuel sits waiting in the flue.

Removing the fuel is what a sweep does. Our technicians clear deposits from every surface the brushes reach and tell you plainly if any part of the flue still holds buildup they could not remove. In Storey Park, a glazed section is quoted for its own removal treatment, and the fireplace is best left cold until that is done.