Tuesday, 11 November 2014

Building blocks for a great fire

As the autumn leaves fall, the days grow shorter, and a cool wind starts moving across the plains. The nights are getting longer and the cold air is coming down from the North, bringing snow, ice, and sleet.   Winter is just around the corner, and you must start to make preparations around your property. You bring in all your patio furniture.  You replace your screens with storm windows, caulking and sealing any exposed cracks in the borders.

You do inspections on your boiler and furnace to make sure they are in good working order as you approach the deep cold of the winter. You check your generator in case of any power outages. You examine your stock of logs to ascertain if you have an adequate supply for the winter. In addition, you clean your fireplace.  You remove all debris from the metal grate, scrub the inner walls of the fireplace, and make sure the damper opens and closes with no problems. You check the flue for any obstructions, as you prepare to light the first fire of the season. Before you do, it is necessary to inspect the length of the chimney for any damage, especially to see if you need to do any chimney crown repairs.

Chimney crown is vital

A chimney crown is like a hat for the chimney. After all the bricks are placed one on top of the other, and mortar and concrete placed in between to seal the chute tightly, a chimney crown is placed on top of the structure. This is an additional sealant for your chimney. It provides protection to the bricks at the top of the chimney from weather, debris, and animals. If this is not complete, the chimney will not function properly.

Complete chimney for a great fire

When you stack your logs in the fireplace, light the match, and start your fire, you are looking to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. The crackling fire will give you heat for your living room and provide a backdrop as it burns away in the fireplace. It is a comfortable ambience, peaceful and serene. This will all be disrupted if the chimney crown has deteriorated or been damaged. The pieces of bricks and mortar will fall down the chimney into the metal grate. The cap will be dislodged, providing an opening for animals and creatures to venture into your chimney, or other obstructions to become lodged in the shaft. All of these things will lead to a less effective fireplace or even a completely useless fireplace if you are unable to light a fire due to the obstructions. 

Repair the crown

An inspection of the top of the chimney is all that is needed to alert you to any potential damage. You can examine it for cracks, breaks, and crumbling pieces. If necessary you can use a sealant to fix the damage, or get an entirely new crown to be placed on the top of your chimney. Either way, if a chimney crown repair is necessary then, you can call for Arlington chimney repair and do not wait as it will affect your use of the fireplace.

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