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Frequently Asked Questions

Thanks to HEARTH.COM as they expanded the Q & A to the fullest!! please check it out!!

These question and answers are a few that we are ask.

What are the factors that determine CREOSOTE accumulation ?
1.) The TEMPERATURE of the burn. Hot, brisk fires are the best! Slow, smoldering fires create more un-burn fuel (creosote).

2.) The DRYNESS of the wood is critical to having an efficient Burn.

FACT:
When a tree is cut down, 60% of the volume is water.
This is the same for hardwood (oak, hickory) or softwood (pine).
FACT:
With GREEN (fresh-cut) wood, it is not possible to burn the wood efficiently. The water impedes a hot burn; the water is boiled out into a heavy smoke. This smoke is unburn fuel escaping up your chimney. As it rises, it cools and condenses---into CREOSOTE.
One can judge the quality of burn by the amount of smoke
.
Suggestion
 Buy your wood today for the burn next year! Look at the end of the wood; if it splits into a spider web fashion---the moisture content is approximately 20% (the most desired %). This takes 6 months or more to achieve.

3.)The FREQUENCY AND QUANTITY of use is the last and often thought to be the only guide line. Two cords of properly dried -burned wood might equal a truck-load (1/2 cord) of GREEN wood--smoldered. The FIRE-BUILDER-DESIGNATE should be attentive to the guide provided and judge accordingly.

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How often do I need to have my wood burning fireplace cleaned ?

The answer is:

A) Have it inspected annually (SPRING), if you have burned according to the suggestions.
B) Have it cleaned annually (SPRING), if you burned >smoldered green wood.
C.) Have it cleaned when there is a 1/4" of creosote consistently throughout the internal system.
Giving a time frame is not an accurate measure...... but---

DO IT IN THE SPRING/SUMMER!!!!

1.) When Fall comes and the cold snap comes--you are ready to burn!!
Who likes to be waiting and frustrated with scheduling an appointment, that may be weeks away?
You can have it your way-when you need it!!

2.)After a burning season the smell of the chimney is pungent/acrid.
This is due to the principle of the draft of the chimney. WARM AIR FOLLOWS COLD AIR
When the weather is cool/cold--the home is warm--the chimney draws up & out!
When the weather is warm/humid---the home is cool--the chimney can draw down -picking up the malodor of the creosote and bringing it in to your home.
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How often do I need to have my gas fireplace cleaned?
Gas logs burn cleaner than wood burning fireplaces do. If there is no heavy black sooting on the logs, then every two years, have it inspected.

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Will you need to get inside my home?
Yes, the fireplace cleaning takes place on the inside and outside of the home.

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My fireplace smokes. What causes that?
Often the cause relates to the design of the fireplace. The fireplace has specific-formulated structural relations; in other words, each part of the fireplace has to correspond, in a mathematical design, in order to have the harmony desired.

Other reasons, and by far not the least significant is the House or structure that the fireplace (system) is housed in. The pressure differential between house and the outside causes many of the smoke problems. Reference:

  • STACK EFFECT

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    I have water leaking into my fireplace and I also have water stains on the ceiling and the wall around the fireplace. Can your company fix my problem?

    Most of the time.

    We will complete a thorough inspection to determine where the water is coming from & and help in the prevention of further leaks.

    Sometimes the problem is not chimney related.
    A roof problem can show up at the chimney and decieve us.

    We fabricate and install caps, custom covers, clay Pots, pre-fab pans, dampers; seal flashing & crowns, install professional water sealants.

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    Can I convert my gas fireplace into wood burning?
    If you have a fully operational fireplace, whether masonry or pre-fab, it would normally be as simple as removing the gas logs & capping the gas line or installing a gas log lighter. But with today’s new appliances, direct vent & vent less units would not be set up for solid fuel (wood) & could not be converted to wood burning.

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    Can I save on my gas bill by using my fireplace?
    Your fireplace can reflect heat into the room & it should be burned for a period of time to make the fireplace heat efficient. Other sources of heat are wood stoves/inserts can be more efficient.

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    I have birds ('they sound like bats!!!..) in my chimney. What can I do?
    The birds in your chimney are called CHIMNEY SWIFTS & they nest 1 or 2 times a year. After their nesting period, your chimney should be cleaned & a cap/cover should be installed on top of your chimney to keep out any animals or debris that could fall down inside. If you already have a cap, you may need the screening around it replaced or repaired.