Chimney Cleaning and Inspection
Chimney Sweeps offer a range of safety and maintenance services to help care for your home. McMahon’s inspect, clean, service and repair areas vital to the structure or safety of your home. All chimneys should be inspected annually and swept when needed, to remove byproducts of combustion (such as soot and creosote), and to maintain draft so dangerous fumes can exit your home, thus preventing chimney fires.
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Cleaning equipment for chimneys is as varied as the people that work in the profession! Most equipment will consist of specially designed brushes and/or power cleaning tools suitable for both the type of chimney being swept and the type of residue being removed. Professional chimney services use industrial vacuums for airborne dust control. Drop cloths or other means are also used by the chimney sweep, to protect the homeowner's furnishings while performing the cleaning.
The type of chimney and the appliance venting into it, including time taken for vent cleaning, will determine how long it takes to sweep, but a general average is 45 minutes to 2 hours. Inspection of the chimney and documentation may add to the length of the visit.
Should the chimney be swept from the bottom up, or from the top down? Again, this is a matter of personal preference to the chimney sweeps. Either method is acceptable, and often a combination of each method will be used by the serviceman conducting the chimney sweep. Besides, McMahon’s chimney and fireplace cleaning, we also offers inspection services.
Professional sweeps generally offer an inspection service that will meet one of 3 LEVELS OF INSPECTION: McMahon’s offer two due to level three disassembly process this is a level we do not offer.
Level I
Inspection is generally considered limited to visible areas of the chimney
that don't require tools or ladders. This may be on the exterior (partially
visible from both the inside and outside of the house) as well as inside
under some conditions.
Level II
Inspection is a more involved inspection that will include all portions
of a Level I Inspection as well as accessible areas of the chimney structure,
including areas within accessible attics, basements and crawl spaces.
Common hand tools and ladders are generally used, and will include examination
of the interior by video scanning or other comparable means of inspection.
The inspector should also determine that the flue is properly sized
for the appliance venting into it.
• The National Fire Protection Association
recommends you have your chimney inspected at least once a year, and
cleaned if needed. Heavy users need more frequent check-ups.
• The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) states to reduce
the risk of chimney fires, put an inspection on top of your list.
• The CSIA recommends that homeowners use well-seasoned hardwoods
when burning.
• The build-up of creosote is the leading cause of chimney fires.
When wood, especially pine or other resinous wood, is burned, the flammable
tar is a fire hazard.
• Chimney cleanings can help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
