Many houses across the United States today have a chimney in them, and this is often seen as a classic feature of a house. In times past and today, houses have had chimneys to release smoke and fumes from a fire, and in previous times, such fires were used for warmth and cooking. Today, heating utilities and the kitchen replace those duties, but a chimney can still be a way to have a pleasant fire in the winter. Many homeowners enjoy having a fireplace, whether a traditional one that uses logs, or a gas fireplace or even one with false flames and electric heaters. But of course, if there is a real fire, then there are going to be some real emissions, and smoke, ash, and soot can build up over time. Chimney cleaning is something to take seriously, as a dirty chimney may harm the house’s air quality. Chimney cleaning may be done once in a while or often, based on how often fires are lit in the home and how long they last. A chimney service can be hired to get chimney cleaning done, an the same is true of a gas fireplace service.
Houses and Their Chimneys
Which homes need chimney repair or chimney cleaning? How many homes have a chimney, anyway? According to data from the National Association of Home Builders, about 60% of all new homes in the United States have at least one fireplace in them, and this is an increase from the 36% chimney rate of homes built in the 1970s. Some areas of the United States may have these features more than others. Fore example, close to 38% of all houses in the Mountain states have at least one fireplace in them, while 74% of New England homes have fireplaces and thus a chimney.
These fireplaces may come in a variety of sizes and materials, based on the construction crew’s plans. Other times, a person may hire home builders to construct a house according to their design, and in this case, a homeowner can install any type of fireplace that they want and in any location. The main divide of furnace models is between two primary types: masonry fireplaces, and factory-made, pre-fabricated fireplaces. Masonry fireplaces are built out of bricks, blocks, and mortar, and they tend to be heavy due to these materials, weighing six or seven tons. These types of fireplaces may often need cleaning from a chimney cleaning service.
The other main model is the pre-fabricated type. These fireplaces tend to be lighter than the masonry types, and may be gas-powered or even contain a false fire. Some homes have a fireplace with model logs and false flames, and when turned on, these fireplaces give off heat from an electric heater to simulate a real fire. Some homeowners may prefer these false fireplaces because they don’t like the idea of a fire hazard, or they simply don’t like the manual labor of building and tending to a real fire.
If a fireplace indeed uses real flames, then sometimes, the leftover soot, creosote, ash, and more will build up over time. Other issues may include foreign objects or even wildlife getting stuck in the chimney, and this can certainly impede air flow. If a chimney or fireplace is dirty or clogged, the homeowner is advised to hire a chimney cleaning service, which will send out workers to remove obstructions and clear out leftover materials. “Chimney sweepers”, such as in the late 1800s, were boys who used cleaner tools to sweep chimneys clear, and this was dirty, dangerous work. Today, adult workers use advanced cleaning tools to make for a safe, effective job. They can remove anything that has built up in the chimney, and they may also spot cracks or other damage in the fireplace or chimney and suggest repairs. If this is the case, other workers can be hired to fix the damage. A factory-made fireplace may need workers from its manufacturer to visit and repair it, while a brick and mortar chimney might be repaired by crews from any company. Someone who buys an old house may have a lot of repair work on their hands, and this may include chimney fixing or repair.
