One scenario in which an inspection should be performed is after a major storm. Heavy winds, rains, snow, or hail can compromise the integrity and effectiveness of a chimney, and hurt its ability to property send exhaust out of the home. When a chimney can't do its job properly, it not only puts your home in danger, but also your family, who may be breathing in harmful gasses as a result of the chimney being blocked or not being able to perform as well. If a big storm has come through your area, it's a good idea to have things checked out to make sure your chimney is still safe.
In the article, it was also suggested you may want to have an inspection done after you change your home's heating source, like when switching from a wood fireplace to gas.
Another situation you should have a chimney inspection done for is if you change the heating source in your home. For instance, if you have a wood fireplace and you make a switch to a fireplace that uses gas, but you still use the same chimney, it's wise to have a professional inspector examine your chimney to make sure it's capable of making the change without being potentially dangerous. This doesn't just cover wood-to-gas changes, either; an inspection should be done regardless of what the original heat source is, and which source you're moving to.
Another great time to have it looked at? When you reline the flue.
There are instances when the installation of this flue can cause a shift in the chimney, and an inspector can check things out to make sure it's still safe to operate. This is very important to do, as any kind of obstruction can stop dangerous gasses from being exhausted from your home.
For more information on New Jersey chimney inspections, visit www.GuardianChimney.com.
