Does Your Chimney Need a Facelift?
Your chimney has guarded your home since it was built – standing tall in a blaze of mortar, brick, and metal. After years of home settling, harsh weather attacks, and hot flames from the fireplace, your chimney can begin to look tired, develop cracks, and start to sag. Here are three ways you can give your chimney a much-needed facelift.
Bring It Back
Black flowing plumes of smoke that is filled with soot can pour from your chimney each time you have a fire. As the soot cools, it can settle in your chimney as creosote or cover the outside edge of the bricks. A chimney cleaning in MD can bring your brick back to life. It can also bring the color back to the bricks.
Fix the Brick
Birds spread fecal matter on your chimney as they roost, insects can burrow into the cracks to hide, and small animals build nests to take advantage of the warmth radiated by the bricks in winter. The acidity from the pest’s bodies can not only cause your chimney to develop soft spots, but it can break the mortar down. Replacing the weak spots can help keep your chimney safe and give it a much-needed facelift.
Install a New Liner
Chimneys have a lining inside the brick to help control the intense heat from soaring flames and powerful escaping gases. This lining can also help maintain the chimney’s integrity by preventing cracks and other types of structural damage. Replacing the lining at the first signs of distress can add years to its long life.
A weakened and old chimney can cause problems to your home. Knowing the state of the structure can provide peace of mind when you start a fire on those harsh winter nights. Giving the bricks a much-needed facelift can also improve the value of your home and keep you safe on nights when you need a hot fire.
