FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
 
 

• Does my furnace chimney need to be cleaned?
• How often should I have my chimney swept?
• How much does a cleaning cost?
• What is the process to clean a chimney?
• Do you install chimney caps? How much do they cost?
• Do you repair chimneys?
• What is a chimney liner?
• Why is there an odor coming from my fireplace?
• Why are you our best choice for a chimney professional?
 
 
 

Does my furnace chimney need to be cleaned?
 

OIL FURNACE CHIMNEYS
 
When oil burns, the by-products of combustion are carbon & sulfur. Because furnaces do not run 100% efficient, this combination creates “oil soot” which includes sulfuric acid. That soot accumulates on the walls of the chimney as well as at the base of the flue.
 
When the flue goes without maintenance, the acid eats away at the flue tiles in the chimney, leading to rapid deterioration of the flue lining. Most oil companies that offer furnace servicing do not maintain the chimney.
 
Often, they will service the furnace and the connecting pipe to the chimney flue, and some even clean out the base of the chimney. However, most companies do not offer services for cleaning the chimney.
 
This is often a misunderstanding on the homeowner’s part, and some oil companies will even tell you that the chimney flue is fine. Because oil soot is fine, there will not appear to be much buildup in the flue. However, without a proper inspection, which includes checking the flue from the top of the chimney, the condition of the chimney cannot be known.
 
However, often times we are called to homes to inspect or clean the oil flue, and the damage is so severe that a greater amount of work is needed on the chimney, which incurs a much greater cost.
 
The oil chimney flue should be serviced once a year, on the same schedule as having your furnace serviced once a year. The chimney should be inspected and serviced by a Certified Chimney Sweep.
 
 
 

How often should I have my chimney swept?
 
Along with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), we recommend a cleaning once per year, or every 3 cords of wood burned. When using wood or oil (or both) as a primary heat source, the chimney should be cleaned and maintained on a yearly basis. Excessive buildup in the chimney of either fuel can lead to major problems down the road.
 
 
 

How much does a cleaning cost?
 

 
 
 

How do you clean a chimney?
 

Depending on what we are cleaning, we use flexible rods attached to a brush to scrape the debris from the walls of the flue to the bottom of the chimney.
 
In the case of a stainless steel chimney system, we use polypropylene brushes, so that we do not damage the inner walls of the chimney. When the soot reaches the bottom of the chimney, we clean all of the soot out of the chimney.
 
In the case of a fireplace, we sweep everything to the bottom of the flue and then vacuum everything out from the smoke shelf, behind the damper.
 
 
 

Do you install chimney caps? How much do they cost?
 

Yes, we install chimney caps. Standard caps are made from either stainless steel or copper and offer a Manufacturer’s Lifetime Warranty. These are also available in custom sizes.
 
We also offer stone or slate caps if you are looking to maintain or change the appearance of your chimney.
 
Chimney caps range from $89 for a standard single flue cap to upwards of $300 for larger, multi-flue caps. Custom caps need to be quoted based on the size of the chimney and style of the cap.

 
 
 

Do you repair chimneys?
 

We offer service on ALL aspects of the chimney. We do repair work from minor masonry touch up & damper adjustment all the way to full teardown and rebuilding the chimney from the ground up.
 
With more than 20 years experience in the business, we have seen and done it all. There is no chimney job that is too much for us to handle, and we offer unmatched quality in the work that we complete. Guaranteed.
 
 
 

What is a chimney liner?
 

A masonry chimney is built with clay terra-cotta flue tiles. When built properly, they create a channel known as a flue, to exhaust harmful gases and by-products to the outside of the home. This is what would be known as a masonry liner.
 
When a masonry liner is damaged or missing, a replacement liner can be installed. This is a stainless steel tube that will replace the clay liner. Stainless Steel is resistant to corrosion, and offers a singular tube rather than individual pieces.
 
In some cases, such as a wood stove or insert installation, a liner is necessary. Our stainless liners offer a Manufacturer Lifetime Warranty.
 
 
 

Why is there an odor coming from my fireplace?
 

There can be many reasons that you are getting an odor from the fireplace. Often it is due to a buildup of soot in the chimney combined with another factor. The buildup of soot comes from either burning unseasoned wood or from burning a fire too cool to keep the exhaust gases hot to the top of the flue.
 
Some of the additional factors can be moisture, humidity or negative pressure. The moisture or humidity will enhance the odor of the soot, and the downward pressure in the chimney will push the odor back into the house. Negative pressure in an air-tight home will create a backward flow of air, literally sucking the air downward through the chimney, which then draws it back into the home.
 
The best solution for an odor is to have the chimney inspected. Once it is inspected, we can offer the best solution for your situation to resolve the odor issue. Another solution is to install a rain cap if you do not already have one. Keeping rain and moisture out of the chimney will reduce the opportunity for the odor to be enhanced.
 
We also offer deodorizing product that can help to reduce the odor, depending on how strong it is in the home as well as what factors are causing it.
 
 
 

Why are you our best choice for a chimney professional?
 

We treat every chimney and home as if it were our own. We look at every situation from a professional standpoint. If there is a situation that you need to be aware of, we will explain in detail as to what the situation is, and what the best solution for that particular situation would be.
 
While chimney sweeping is a fairly straightforward maintenance task, there are many other factors that we take into consideration and look for on every job. With over 20 years of experience in the chimney business, we have developed a keen eye for warning signs that there may be situations building that an untrained eye would not pick up on.
 
When it comes to quality of work, we always do our best to complete every job to the highest level of satisfaction. We aim to leave every chimney & home in better condition than we arrived.
 
 
 
These are answers to the most common questions that we receive.
 
Feel free to call with any question that you have not found an answer to through our website. We are available from 9AM – 6PM to answer your questions or to schedule an appointment, and look forward to helping you resolve your needs as quickly as possible.