Your fireplace is the centerpiece of your home regardless of the season.
Even though your fireplace may not be blazing during the spring and summer months, you should still ensure that it’s well-maintained and clean in order to avoid serious problems in the future.
Why Your Chimney Might Be Smelling Funky
If a strange smell is emanating from your fireplace this spring or summer, one of the following is probably the culprit.
Creosote
The main suspect of any chimney problem, creosote accumulates within the interior of a chimney after months or years of use without cleaning. Creosote gets deposited with the condensation of burning wood and gathers without uniformity along the chimney’s walls.
Creosote can give off a strong odor that gets even stronger as temperatures rise. If you’re unsure about whether or not you have creosote in your chimney, use a flashlight and look up your fireplace or contact a chimney sweep.
Water Leaks
Water and moisture that enter your chimney can create a growth environment for mold, mildew, and harmful bacteria. If allowed to emanate throughout your home, this could contribute to reduced indoor air quality and potentially cause problems for your family’s health.
Leaking chimneys are a sign that your chimney cap needs to be replaced, but sometime leaks in the masonry itself can be the culprit.
Dead Animals
It’s an unfortunate possibility that comes along with being a homeowner, but sometimes critters enter your chimney and become trapped inside. The resulting smell is wholly unpleasant, and so is the removal of the animal. A chimney sweep can perform this task and take steps to prevent accidental animal entry in the future.
How to Properly Maintain Your Chimney in the Spring & Summer
Take the following precautions now to keep your chimney running well all year long.
Clean Your Fireplace & Eliminate Odors
Though it won’t be used until October, you’ll still want to keep your fireplace clean and beautiful during the bright and warm spring and summer months. Removing dust, ash, and debris from your fireplace will improve your home’s indoor air quality and keep your fireplace looking great while not in regular use.
If your chimney continues to give off strange odors after being cleaned, a chimney sweep can apply a chimney deodorant to keep your home smelling fresh.
Fix Any Damaged Components
Heavy rain, natural debris, wind, and everyday wear-and-tear can damage important elements of your chimney. Whether it’s the masonry around your fireplace, the chimney cap, or the flue, replacing or repairing any broken elements of your chimney and fireplace is essential to keep it operational once the mercury drops.
The last thing you want is to find out that your chimney needs repairs just when you need to use it come winter. By getting repairs done during the spring or summer, you ensure that your chimney will be ready to go when the first cold spell hits, whenever that may be.
Stay Pest-Free
While we often associate winter with critter intruders seeking warmth in our homes, summer is actually when they all start to come out to play. This means that if they are looking for a shelter, whether it’s from thunderstorms or just the heat in general, your chimney may look like a pretty inviting hiding place.
By installing a chimney cap, you prevent both unwelcome guests and debris from entering your home.
Hire a Chimney Sweep
Without specialized tools and a working knowledge of chimney care, your best efforts to clean your fireplace and chimney won’t be nearly as effective as hiring an experienced chimney sweep. Because a winter of heavy fireplace use can lead to excess ash and harmful creosote building up in your chimney, the late spring and early summer months are the perfect time to get a professional chimney cleaning.
Breathe easier indoors this spring and summer by contacting Chimcare and scheduling a professional chimney cleaning and inspection for your home today!