FAQ.

Why does my Furnace Chimney Need Cleaning?
Oil Furnace Chimneys

The incomplete by-product of combustion of fuel oil is unburned carbon & sulphur - called oil soot. Oil soot accummulates on the walls and at the base of the chimney, which should be inspected and cleaned annually by a certified Chimney Sweep^TM.

Most of our emergency service calls in the winter are from shut-downs or red tags by the oil or gas companies. This is because most homeowners are unaware that the chimney venting system for the furnace needs maintenance. Most find out after the chimneys are clogged, or the interior collapsed that they need a chimney technician. It is usually too late for a routine cleaning at this point and homeowners are stuck with emergency service call costs and blockage removals or repairs in order to get the heat and hot-water turned back on. This could be avoided by routine maintenance and inspections of the furnace chimneys.

The best time of the year to clean an oil chimney is in the spring time, after the heating season. During the winter, the oil furnace is subjected to long running cycles which will produce oil soot that may adhere to the sides of the chimney. The accumulation of these soot deposits will fall to the base of a masonry chimney, or directly into the top of the oil furnace if a metal chimney is located directly above the appliance. It will restrict the flow of flue gases which consist mostly of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. Combustion will also produce carbon monoxide (which is a dangerous gas when not vented properly) which will spill back into the house instead of going up the chimney when the chimney base is not properly cleaned.

A big misconception on many homeowner's part is that the oil service company takes care of the chimney. The oil burner company may shovel out the base of a brick chimney and brush out the connector pipes, but they will not clean the chimney. Most furnace technicians fail to mention anything about the chimney leading homeowners to believe everything is fine. Some oil furnaces service men even tell the homeowner that the chimney is OK without inspecting the entire chimney, which includes going to the roof and inspecting the interior as well as the exterior masonry (if applicable), flashing, chimney cap, etc.

The National Fire Protection Assoc. 211 codes state that "chimneys must be inspected and cleaned as necessary annually" - just like the oil service man services the furnace annually, so should the chimney system be serviced annually.

Many homeowners also may not be aware that the chimney's interior, when not maintained, will decay and break down - just like neglecting your teeth and not having them checked annually may result in cavities. (Or if you don't change the motor oil in your car for 50,000 miles, you can be sure something in the motor will break.) It's the same thing with your chimney. As stated earlier, the incomplete by product of combustion is soot, which contains carbon and sulphur. Sulphur, when mixed with rain water (from a missing rain cap) or moisture from the flue gases themselves is absorbed into the flue tile and starts a deteriorating process called flaking or spalling. Just like tartar on your teeth, annual brushing will remove these soot deposits and keep the deterioration process to a minimum.

In metal chimneys the interior lining is made from stainless steel, which will not rust, but will corrode from the oil soot's sulfuric acid reaction. This corrosion makes small pinholes which will ruin the integrity of the liner, which will not be able to hold the by-products of combustion. When a clay lining in a masonry chimney flakes or a metal chimney's insides corrode, they are unable to contain the heat and the flue gases, thus creating a potential fire and health hazard.

Annual inspection and cleaning by a certified Chimney Sweep^TM will find these problems and give you recommended corrective actions. When the sweep arrives at your home to do the annual inspection and cleaning of the oil chimney, he will set up his equipment (vacuum, etc.), remove and inspect the connector pipes (the pipes from the oil furnace to the chimney) - careful as not to spill soot into the home. The chimney connector will be cleaned and closed off so that when the chimney is swept, no soot will enter the home. An inspection of the exterior chimney will be made, the chimney swept, and then the interior of the chimney inspected for deterioration and soundness. The sweep completes the exterior work and next returns inside and removes the soot that was brushed down the chimney. When the connector pipes are reinstalled, the furnace will be restarted and checked for proper chimney draft. (Info provided in part by John Pilger - Vice Pres of New York State Chimney Guild.)

How Often Should My Chimney be Cleaned?

The National Fire Protection Agency recommends a yearly inspection and cleanings and repairs done as necessary. Homeowners with Oil fired furnaces and/or Woodstoves used to heat the home should have a professional at their home every year. Fireplaces need to be maintained and cleaned on a consistent basis as well. Usually a cleaning is needed every cord of wood burned.

How do You Clean a Chimney?

What we do is send a two man crew. One man goes up on the roof and scrapes the chimney liner down with wire brushes. This removes the soot and/or creosote off the chimney walls. The other man vacuums out all the debris at the base. We guarantee no mess to the home and sweeps are guaranteed for 30 days.

Do We Install Caps? How Much?

We install Stainless Steel Caps as well as Copper which are lifetime guaranteed. This is a one time installation. A cap will keep out animals, leaves, twigs, and most of all rain. Rain does most of the damage to chimneys by getting into cracks, freezing during the winter, and pushing at the masonry causing serious damage. A single flue cap chimney cap is generally installed at about $95-$105. Custom caps that cover more than one flue start at $175 installed.

Do You do Repairs?

We do everything and anything to do with chimney repairs. Our specialty is Masonry Repair and Relining. If you have a problem with the chimney, we have the solutions. We are fully staffed with professional masons and installers year round.

What is a Liner?

Currently, chimneys are built with terra-cotta clay tiles inside the brick structure. These tiles serve as a gas tight and heat resistant insulator against the masonry structure. Without a liner or with cracked and damaged liners, there would be heat transfer or actual seepage through the brick and mortar. Surrounding the chimney is the structure of the home which is usually wood. A liner is a stainless steel tube inserted into a chimney to draft an appliance, furnace, woodstove or fireplace. The appliance will vent through that stainless pipe and use the existing chimney as an encasement. Liners are gas tight systems and insulated for highest efficiency. This solves most drafting and safety issues due to damaged or unlined chimneys.

Why does My Fireplace Smell?

There can be a number of reasons, most of which can be addressed on site by a chimney sweep and inspection. There are many situations that can cause the fireplace odor. Improper burning technique, unseasoned wood, moisture and humidity, negative pressure creating downdrafts all can contribute to the smell of a fire without a fire. Step 1 typically is to have the chimney cleaned and inspected. Step 2 can be a rain cap to keep out rain or even better a top mounted damper that seals out rain and humidity. This would also prevent a down draft carrying the odors of the chimney into the home. Unfortunately there are cases when these solutions don't always work and are much more difficult to assess by simple inspection. Negative air pressure in the home (especially newer tight homes) can reverse the flow of draft from the chimney back into the home. Some cases of odor problems are due to exhaust fans, additional chimneys, central air systems, central vacuum, combustion appliance flues, range hoods and clothes dryers, etc. pulling air form the best make up air source possible, your chimney.

Why should we choose you as our chimney professional?

Because that is exactly what we are, Professionals. Chimney sweeping is a very straightforward and simple maintenance process but there are other aspects of chimney venting that are much more technical and training is needed to provide accurate safety reports for a home. Our office is open from 8am to 9pm to answer your questions or satisfy your needs. We are members of the Better Business Bureau and The National Chimney Sweep Guild.