It’s important to have your chimney inspected at least once a year to avoid potentially hazardous situations like chimney fire, chimney blockages, mouldy flues, creosote buildup, and cracks or smoke spillage. In fact, twice a year would be more appropriate if you use your fire a lot. That’s why it’s essential to schedule a chimney inspection with a certified chimney sweeping company like Touch of Glass to ensure your chimney operates at full capacity, efficiently, and safely.
To make sure everything goes smoothly as expected, there are a few things you can do before your upcoming chimney inspections.
#1 Refrain from using your chimney 24 hours before your chimney inspection appointment
For us to safely complete our work, your fireplace and chimney walls must be cool to the touch.
Ideally, the first thing you should do is prepare your fireplace for chimney inspections, which entails not using it for at least 24 to 48 hours to allow enough time for the interior masonry to cool down before the inspection.
We cannot conduct a complete inspection and cleaning if the fireplace is not cool enough.
#2 Remove any decorations
When you’re prepping your home for chimney inspections, make sure you clear all surfaces near the chimney, like framed pictures, holiday decorations or any objects that can be subject to damage if accidentally tipped over. Ensure that your mantle place is clear of any obstructions before you get an earful from your wife or mother 😂 if something is damaged.
#3 Remove logs in your firebox
Whether it’s an open fire or a stove fireplace, make sure that your firebox is empty before the chimney inspection team arrives. Remove all of the fireplace’s decorative items, including the grate, fireplace tools, and any residual logs.
Any remaining fireplace ashes that you want to reuse in your garden (wood ash) can also be removed as well. If not, the chimney sweep will get rid of the ashes on your behalf.
#4 Protect furniture near your chimney
While we will do our best to be as careful and tidy as possible, there’s still a chance that ash or debris may come out of the chimney or firebox.
Consider transferring any surrounding furniture or decorations that are on the floor to a different room or a secure location where it can’t catch ash. You can cover large or immobile furniture with a protective sheet or piece of plastic.
Professional chimney cleaners will take all reasonable measures to stop soot, ash, or debris from getting inside your house and on top of your furniture. Even though they’ll try their best, a tiny bit of ash or debris could still come out of the firebox or chimney during the procedure. Think about the furnishings that will be close to the fireplace before your chimney inspection. We will cover everything in the room with a protective cloth, so no need to worry there.
It is also crucial to take into account any wall-hanging accessories, such as pictures, drapes, or other home decor.
#5 Ensure we can access your fireplace easily
As we will bring tools and equipment inside your house to thoroughly conduct the chimney inspection, we will need clear access to your fireplace.
You should remove any tiny objects from the floor leading up to your fireplace before your appointment, including any toys that may be there for your pets or young children. It’s important to have the surrounding area clear, so that we can put a drop cloth on the floor to cover the surrounding parts of your house while cleaning.
#6 Notify us with any chimney inspection concerns
The most important part of chimney inspections is if you bring up potential chimney problems or complications you encounter on a daily basis. Tell us if you have noticed any foul odours, moisture, smell of smoke even if the fire is not lit, or any other concerns you think might affect your chimney’s efficiency.
It is essential to inform us of any possible complications you notice on your chimney, so we can assess these issues immediately before starting the routine inspection.
If we are aware of these potential chimney problems, we can then identify the areas of concern that need immediate attention.
#7 Don’t hesitate to ask questions
Because of our extensive understanding in the field, any inquiries you may have regarding your fireplace and chimney can be answered. We can provide valuable guidance and pointers on how to properly use your fireplace, whether you are a new fireplace owner or moved to a new home and have decided to use an existing one.
At Touch of Glass, our experience in conducting chimney inspections for a decade has strengthened our knowledge and skills to properly conduct a thorough inspection. We only use state of the art camera and equipment carried out by experienced staff, so we can guarantee you safe and reliable results. Furthermore, we provide a detailed report outlining our findings, the problems discovered, and the appropriate solutions we need to carry out. We can also provide video footage if necessary for insurance purposes.
Our chimney inspection is available to counties Laois, Tipperary, Offaly, Carlow, Kilkenny, Kildare and Westmeath. So schedule your appointment today or call us at 0877725264 or 0578663879
