Stay on Top of Your Chimney Before it Topples Over

All of the ingredients that combine to create your chimney break down, away and fall apart altogether without regular attention and occasional repair. Making sure your chimney is up to snuff goes a long way in keeping your family safe from the threats of fire and other threats the emerge from an unkempt chimney. 

Guardian Chimney offers masonry repair in Essex County and surrounding towns. Many reasons call for masonry repair. It is wholly worth your while to pursue regular masonry check-ups for your chimney and/or fireplace made of stone or brick. 

Masonry fireplaces weigh quite a bit. They need extensive footing that can handle their weight and bulk. If problems exist within the footing, the bricks or stones will move, causing cracks in themselves and in the masonry. Any fire than can and will escape via these cracks and possibly set nearby combustibles such as trees or roofing. 

Permanently exposed to the outdoor elements, your chimney gets blasted daily by precipitation, temperature and wind. The chimney and its masonry will be in a position to always bear the brunt of these elements, making it likely that they will gradually succumb to the issues presented by severe weather. 

Do not get too worried, there are some measures you can take to ensure the life of your chimney by taking some simple steps. Call in the help of an expert chimney repair company such as Guardian Chimney—if and when you notice that the chimney needs some masonry repair. Issues like tuckpointing (“re-pointing”)—when professionals remove old mortar from between existing bricks and replace it with new mortar—and easily prevent the need for further masonry repair, or even having to replace the entire chimney.

Professionals also can pay your home a visit to look upon your chimney cap and conduct waterproofing. Both of these are crucial when it comes to keeping water and debris out of your chimney, waterproofing can help keep the interior metals within your chimney from rusting and needing repair or replacement. A chimney cap also contributes to the overall efficiency of the chimney, doing more than just keeping out water: it is an unintended means of denying access to birds and rodentia from nesting in your chimney or just calling it home. 

A little masonry repair will also protect your family and home from potential carbon monoxide poisoning. If cracks in masonry prevent effective venting from your fireplace, carbon monoxide will creep back into your home. Colorless and odorless, carbon monoxide getting may not be something you realize is happening before a worst case scenario can begin to unfold! 

Would you like to learn more about masonry repair in Essex County? Call Guardian Chimney at 1-888-688-1388 or you can contact us. 

The Reasons for Your Chimney Repair Can Be…

Guardian Chimney offers chimney repair for your Ft Lee and local areas home. We are often asked what types of chimney repair work we conduct most often. As per different repair work there is to do on a chimney, the answers are wide-ranging from masonry repair to eliminating the improper exit (and therefore entry into your home itself) of carbon monoxide. The following is a rundown of the most common types of chimney repair work we conduct.

·         Masonry: Your masonry erodes over time due to Mother Nature and all of the challenges found within the chimney itself. We can apply water repellant as a means to prevent this sort of chimney repair.

·         Rubble: Should you encounter materials that make up your chimney ending up at the bottom of the flue, this is indicative of a breakdown within the structure itself. Do not hesitate to call on Guardian Chimney to handle this repair.

·         Soot: When the smoke fumes from a fire don’t rise rapidly enough up the chimney, or if your flue is not wide enough to properly ventilate the fire, soot can build up. Installing a smoke guard in the flue can help the smoke get drawn up and out of the chimney better and more easily.

·         Carbon Monoxide: Carbon monoxide fumes are deadly in high doses. If you are unfortunate enough to find that your  carbon monoxide detector is being set off, get out right away. Be wary of the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, like strong headaches, dizziness, nausea, fainting and mental confusion. Call on us for chimney repair if you are experiencing problems with high levels of carbon monoxide.

·         Creosote: The gas emitted from burning wood combines and cools within the chimney and  creosote formation unfolds. A sticky, smelly tar-like substance that builds up to form blockages in your chimney, creosote’s presence requires chimney repair. Too much creosote within will create unpleasant odors, crumbling of chimney walls and may even ignite to cause a fire itself. Be sure to have your chimney cleaned regularly.

·         Crown: The chimney crown is prevents moisture from sneaking between the masonry and the flue lining. Crowns are often cracked due to the contraction and expansion of the metals within the chimney and its crown. Crown repairs are common and generally involve sealing it to ensure no further cracking and/or damage.

·         Flashing: Flashing keeps moisture from entering between the connection of your roof and  chimney, a popular cause of leakage. These types of chimney repairs are called for when the flashing begins to fall apart or if it was not rightly installed. Guardian Chimney has frequently waterproofed flashings to make sure it does not cause leaks anymore.

For more information on chimney repair in Fort Lee, call Guardian Chimney at 1-888-688-1388, or Contact Us.

The Origin of the Chimney Sweep and Chimney Cleaning

A chimney sweep is a worker who clears the ash and soot from your chimney. Over time with the build-up of creosote – and a lack of chimney cleaning – the chimney itself becomes a volatile location where the fire within the fireplace may ignite the accumulation and set it, and ultimately the building, ablaze. The sweep, essential to full functionality of the chimney, comes in with brushes to clear them out. If your Hackensack home needs a chimney cleaning, look no further than Guardian Chimney.

The chimney became all the rage in 16^th century England, so much so that they tended to be placed in every room of the home. The 17^th century brought about the Hearth Tax (based on house size and number of chimneys a house had) which homeowners sought to avoid. Builders of the day would connect the multiple flues stemming from the multiple chimneys in a complex maze of tunnels inside the home, making chimney cleaning a more difficult task. Simultaneously, coal became a popular source of fuel for the fires, as such, sweeping became a more sought after commodity. Without regular cleaning, coal’s sticky soot deposits would clog flues and pollute the home itself with fumes. Queen Victoria mandated that all chimneys must be cleaned regularly and the chimney sweep began to be associated with the idea of bringing clean and fresh air back to the home. They became associated with good hearth and good health.

During the Industrial Revolution, an urban housing explosion (people, not via fireplace) occurred across the western world, and the number of chimneys grew vastly with it, creating quite a demand for chimney cleaning and a new level of job security for the sweeper.

Buildings became taller and chimneys more complex, grouped together on the roof of multi-unit dwellings. Often containing more than two right angles with both vertical and horizontal angled sections, the flues and their grates were substantially more difficult to keep clean than in standard straight chimneys. Chimney cleaning and the job of the chimney sweep were looked upon as very dangerous. Even with the high-risk job, chimney sweeps were not paid well amongst other tradesmen of the time.

Today’s chimney sweep has studied local codes and scientific functioning with regard to chimneys. Chimney sweeps diagnose and ultimately service what they find within a chimney, making repairs and installations. The chimney sweep remains an important profession that will continue on. These respected professionals help homeowners and businesses maintain safe operation of their chimneys. Our chimney sweep is certified, licensed or organized in: 

•         National Chimney Sweep Guild
•         Chimney Safety Institute of America
•         National Fire Protection Agency
•         NJ Division of Consumer Affairs
•         Better Business Bureau

For more information on chimney cleaning in Hackensack, call Guardian Chimney at 888-688-1388 or contact us to Schedule an Appointment.

What You Should Know about a New Chimney Liner

If you just found out that you need a new chimney liner at your Hackensack home, you might be wondering what a chimney liner is and what is so important about it. Here are a few bits of information you should know about a chimney liner and the purposes it serves.

A chimney liner goes into your chimney and is usually made out of metal, ceramic or clay. It needs to be installed by a professional chimney sweep because it is not something you can do by yourself if you are unsure of what you are doing.

A chimney liner contains the combustion byproducts that result every time you light a fire in your fireplace. It helps direct the gases and fumes caused by the fire to the outside air where it can safely vent without causing a fire or causing any problems to the inside of your home, like high levels of carbon monoxide. The walls of your chimney will also be protected from the heat, which means they will be protected from corrosion and other issues that could result.

Depending on what your new chimney liner is made out of, it could last you up to about 50 years. Each type of chimney liner life span varies though, so talk to your chimney liner installation company to learn about the specific type of chimney liner you are going to have installed.

Your chimney liner also needs to be properly and accurately sized to ensure it will work for your chimney. If your new chimney liner is too small, it will not vent properly and that could cause plenty of problems for you, your family and your home.

When we come to install your new chimney liner, we are happy to answer any questions you have about it, how long it should last you and the other things you should have done to your chimney to ensure it is as safe to use as possible. For example, we usually recommend that you have your chimney cleaned and inspected at least once a year (right before or right after winter) to help keep your chimney and house safe from the threat of a chimney fire.

Would you like to learn more about a new chimney liner for your Hackensack home? Call us at Guardian Chimney at 888-688-1388 or you can Contact Us.

The Importance of a Chimney Inspection

With winter right around the corner, homeowners should be thinking about chimney inspections at their Hackensack homes. These inspections are incredibly important and are one of the best ways to ensure your chimney and fireplace are safe to use and enjoy during the cold winter months.

There are three basic types of chimney inspections and the type you need mostly depends on your chimney, if it has sustained any major damage recently and if the fuel source has changed recently.

A level one is pretty basic. This type of chimney inspection includes a visual inspection of the chimney and any crawl spaces around it. The chimney sweep will look for any needed repairs and he or she will check to see how much creosote has built up in it. It is generally followed by a thorough cleaning.

A level two chimney inspection is done when there are any big changes made to the chimney system. Some of these types of changes include if the flue has been changed or if the type of fuel used (for example, going from wood to gas) has been changed. A level two chimney inspection is also required when you are selling your home to ensure the buyer is getting a chimney and fireplace that are in good condition and safe to use.

A level three chimney inspection is usually done after there has been significant damage done to the chimney. For example: a house fire or very severe weather has come through.

So why should you have a chimney inspection done, especially if you haven't had anything significant change about your chimney? Well, for one thing, dangerous levels of creosote can build up inside of your chimney. Creosote is a byproduct of the burning process and it is incredibly flammable. Plus, it can lead to a dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide, which can cause you and your family to get sick. In extreme cases, it can even result in fatalities.

For another thing, a chimney inspection gives you invaluable peace of mind that you have done everything in your power to keep your family and your house safe from the threat of a chimney fire. Just be sure you go to a licensed, insured and certified chimney inspection company, like Guardian Chimney.

Are you interested in learning more about getting a chimney inspection at your Hackensack home? Call Guardian Chimney at 888-388-1388 or Contact Us.

The Necessity of Chimney Caps

Chimney caps are one of the most important parts of keeping your home safe from the threat of a fire. They are made out of several different materials, but no matter what type you choose, the end results will be the same: keeping your loved ones safe. We specialize in installing and repairing chimney caps in Fort Lee and the surrounding areas, so here are a few of the biggest reasons you should look into getting a new chimney cap for your home.

During the cold winter months, many animals are looking for a warm and safe spot to nest in. Your chimney is an attractive option to them because it is warm and protected from the outdoor elements. But if an animal builds a nest in your chimney, that can block smoke and other harmful toxins, which means they have nowhere to go but back into your home, causing a host of health issues for you and your family. Plus, the leaves, stems and twigs that the nests are usually made out of are incredibly flammable.

Chimney caps keep animals out of your chimney, and that means you will not have to worry about any pesky critters causing problems for you.

Chimney caps are also a great way to prevent water from getting into your chimney. If water gets in there, it can cause problems with the masonry. Water will get into the cracks and expand and contract, causing problems with the bricks or stones and the mortar in between. Masonry repairs can get expensive depending on the extent of them, but chimney caps can help with this problem before it becomes a huge issue and expense.

Chimneys often experience a problem known as a downdraft. This is when wind from the outside blows in such a way that the smoke that is trying to escape out of your chimney is actually blown back into your home. Chimney caps help prevent this from happening.

Last but not least, chimney caps keep sparks and embers from flying out of your chimney and possibly igniting your roof and sparking a fire. Chimney caps come with spark guards, so you get added peace of mind knowing there is one more level of protection for you and your loved ones.

Do you want more information on chimney caps in Fort Lee? Call us at Guardian Chimney at 1-888-688-1388 or you can Contact Us.

Reasons You Might Need a Chimney Sweep

Most people know what a chimney sweep is, but do you know the reasons you should call one to clean your chimney on a regular basis? We are a certified chimney sweep serving Bergen County and the surrounding areas, and here are a few reasons you should call us to come out and clean your chimney.

For one thing, a chimney sweep can help prevent a fire from breaking out in your chimney. Every time you burn something in your fireplace, creosote forms on the inside of your chimney. Not only does this make your chimney dirty, but the build up of creosote can also ignite and cause a fire to spread, endangering the lives of you and your loved ones and anyone who is visiting your home. The flaming debris from your home can spread to your neighbors' homes. You can avoid this tragedy by calling in a chimney sweep from Guardian Chimney.

Calling a chimney sweep can also help prevent the build up of carbon monoxide, which is a colorless and odorless gas. Sure, there are carbon monoxide detectors you can buy, but there is no sense in taking a chance when one of the best ways to prevent a dangerous level of carbon monoxide is by having your chimney cleaned on a regular basis by a certified chimney sweep, like the ones here at Guardian Chimney.

Finally, a clean chimney burns better and more efficiently. This can help the environment, and it could also save you some money in the long run. So calling in a chimney sweep now could help save lives, assets, precious belongings and even a few bucks!

If you would like more information about how to hire a chimney sweep in Bergen County, call Guardian Chimney at 1-888-688-1388 or you can Contact Us.