Cincinnati Homeowners: For Thorough & Effective Chimney Cleanings, Trust Our Experts
When investing in a chimney cleaning, hiring a team you can trust is imperative. Inexperience and a lack of chimney knowledge can lead to oversights, which then increases your chances of experiencing drafting issues, carbon monoxide leaks, chimney fires, and more.
That’s why we urge Cincinnati homeowners to trust in us.
What’s a Chimney Cleaning With American Chimney Like?
To guarantee the best service, we educate our technicians using National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) standards and build our training modules to meet all National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) coding requirements. We work from the inside and the outside of your home to ensure we’ve thoroughly covered it all.
Our equipment is designed for every type of chimney, whether it’s a large masonry chimney, a furnace flue, or a factory-built system. We have the tools to remove all brushable creosote and soot without damaging your fireplace or chimney in the process. This includes the elbows in factory-built chimneys and any connector pipes – both of which can become separated by using incorrect or improperly sized brushes and/or rods.
And rest assured, no soot or creosote will escape into your living space. How do we keep things mess-free?
Drop cloths
Rug runners
High-speed vacuums
Tarps over the fireplace
Shoe covers
Now, a lot of folks notice that chimney companies use the terms “sweeping” and “cleaning” interchangeably… is there a difference? They essentially mean the same service, but “sweeping” is probably the more accurate term. Getting a soot-filled chimney perfectly clean and spotless isn’t an attainable reality for anyone, but sweeping it with appropriate tools and proper training will make it safer for use and ready for the cooler months!
Note: Many ask about creosote sweeping logs or chemical cleaners. You can typically buy these products online or at the hardware store, but don’t be mistaken – these do not remove the creosote. They simply change the consistency of it to make it easier to sweep it out. Using these should never replace a thorough sweeping by a certified sweep.
What Is a Chimney Fire Like? What Should I Do If I’ve Had One?
Not all chimney fires are created equal. Some are loud and obvious (often compared to a freight train), while many others are slow-moving, occurring so quietly that the homeowner isn’t even aware of it. Many of the fireplaces we clean have actually had a chimney fire, and the homeowner didn’t even know.
During a chimney fire, the temperature in the fireplace flue can exceed 2,000 degrees. As a result, it may not only break down your chimney liner, but ignite any combustibles adjacent to the chimney as well.
If you can see or smell a heavy creosote buildup, do not use your fireplace until it’s been properly inspected, swept, and serviced. You may also observe a fair amount of honeycombed creosote inside of your chimney, too, which is usually an indication that a chimney fire has occurred.
And if you have, in fact, already had a chimney fire? We can help. We can complete any necessary chimney repair services to get you where you need to be, then work with your insurance company to help you get coverage. Rest assured, we have your back.
When Should I Have My Chimney Cleaned?
This is a question we get a lot. And we like to meet it with another one, which is… When is the last time you’ve had your chimney cleaned? If you can’t remember, then it’s safe to say you need to schedule this service – and soon. Once it’s done, we’ll have a good baseline to work off of, so we can make a better plan for maintenance moving forward.
In the end, this isn’t a question we can give a swift and standard answer to. It depends a lot on your specific setup and how often you use your system. That said, what you can do is schedule an inspection every single year. This is the NFPA’s recommended approach, and it will give your sweep the opportunity to note excess deposits.
Worried About Your System? Schedule Today
If you’re at all concerned about the state of your chimney, give us a call to look things over today. We’d be happy to perform an inspection, after which we can provide necessary services to get your system back in tip-top shape for the burning season.
Don’t overlook dryer vent cleaning when thinking about the chimney services we offer all year long.