Our services include performing internal fireplace inspection and chimney cleaning services for Cleveland, Lake, Cuyahoga, and Geauga counties since1991. Servicing anything from residential wood burning fireplaces to wood stove inserts, freestanding stoves, wood burning furnaces and gas fired furnace chimney's. Below you will find a list of the various fireplace and cleaning services we offer with complete description of normal procedures to match your individual needs.
Cleaning wood burning fireplace
Performed mostly from inside the house. This service includes floor protection around immediate area of fireplace, Damper plate removal and inspection. Grate removal, and cleaning and inspection of firebox making sure there are no loose brick or dried deteriorating mortar joints that could present a fire hazard. Upon visual inspection we determine whether or not your chimney needs to be cleaned by the amount of creosote deposits inside smoke chamber and liner which is directly above your firebox.
If creosote build up is present then then we offer to show homeowner before sweeping and after sweeping.
However if we determine that no creosote is present then we proceed with normal video inspection.
Cleaning of smoke chamber and liner
Performed by running properly sized brush attached to flexible fiberglass rods up through the smoke chamber we start with making sure there are no down drafts present in which case we ask for a window to be partially opened as to reverse draw of chimney to positive air flow preventing any unwanted dust to enter the home while chimney is being serviced. With proper lighting placed on top of smoke shelf we begin sweeping the smoke chamber walls leading up to the liner inspecting for any missing brick or deteriorating mortar joints. Once smoke chamber is cleaned then we proceed up through the internal liner by adding extension rods every 6 ft until we have reached the top of the chimney. Dust rises and creosote falls onto smoke shelf which is directly above firebox.
Upon completion of smoke chamber and liner we proceed to remove all debris from smoke shelf into bucket placing hose from a dust free vacuum at the bottom assuring no dust enters the home. After cleaning services are completed we once again show customer the difference between a dirty chimney and a properly serviced chimney .Most always as usual the response is very positive. Whether the cleaning takes a half hour or more than an hour our main goal is to make sure we clean all the above areas to the best of our ability and assuring you are left with absolutely NO mess inside your home.
Internal Video Inspections
This service is performed with every wood burning fireplace, wood stove insert, or freestanding unit that utilizes the original clay flue liner system. Being the most important part of the service it determines whether or not your fireplace is safe for a wood burning or vented gas log application. Modern day chimney has offered the internal video inspection for 20+ years and surprisingly enough have found many wood burning fireplaces to be unsafe for any use. Even though many chimney's and fireplaces look perfect in condition on the outside they can be just as bad on the inside.
Many homes that have been inspected using are service have been deemed completely safe for wood or gas application , However at the same time many fireplaces have been deemed unsafe for wood or gas applications whether it be according to fire code or basic common sense. Our main objective is to search for any of the following potential fire hazards as listed below.
- CRACKED FLUE TILES
- OPEN OR DETERIORATED MORTAR JOINTS BETWEEN LINER SECTIONS
- OLD STOVE PIPE OR DRAFT HOOD PIPES THAT HAVE BEEN COVERED OVER DURING REMODELING
- MISSING LINER SECTIONS
- SPAULDING OR DETERIORATING FLUE TILES.
- OFFSET FLUE TILES THAT CAN CREATE SEVERAL HIDDEN GAPS NON VIEWABLE WITH VISUAL INSPECTION.
If found and not corrected all Above items listed above are among the several reasons why any given home can be subject to a chimney fire. Our job is to offer sensible solutions to making any needed repairs or offering alternate methods to achieve a functional safe wood burning situation.