Chimney Sweep St. Augustine

A chimney is the heart of the home and should be treated as such. Most people get a yearly check-up but not a chimney cleaning/inspection. Why is this? Some people do not know the risk of having a damaged or uncleaned chimney. From animals getting in the chimney and giving a list of diseases ranging from Salmonella to Cryptococcosis to you and your family not to mention the increased risk of a chimney fire. The center of all life in the home has been the fireplace as far back as the 8th century when the Greeks worshiped Hestia the goddess of the hearth. People no longer have the respect for the chimney as they once did but it’s still an essential part of a heating, entertainment, and ambiance. 

An uncleaned chimney can release dangerous gas from burning substances such as creosote, if the flue pipe is blocked or the chimney cap is closed the smoke will get inside the house. This gas can lead to respiratory irritation and possibly lung disease not to mention the overall increased fire risk. To lower this risk, we do a full 21-point inspection for your safety and the safety of your house. Your safety is our number one top priority we focus on keeping your chimney safe, clean, and protected year-round. Our team of knowledgeable technicians will stop leaks and repair any part of your chimney.

Why Is Cleaning Important?

Protect Yourself From Dangerous Substance

An annual chimney inspection and cleaning can prevent respiratory problems, thousands of dollars worth of damage later on, and is recommended by the CSIA. The most hazardous thing that can happen is if you leave the damper closed and have an uncleaned chimney. This will cause a lot of toxic smoke to enter the house. This is an easy fix whereas if creosote is inside your chimney it can cause a chimney fire in the flue, this can dry out the wood around the flue pipe igniting it and catching your house on fire.

• Soot
  • • Soot that is left in your chimney if uncleaned can enter your body through your skin, eyes, consumption, breathing it can cause bronchitis, heart disease, and cancer. Part of the reason for current day chimney sweeping is due to the risk soot is known to have since the 1700s after children chimney cleaners were getting sick. 
• Creosote
  
  • • Creosote is formed when substances are slowly being burned leaving highly volatile gases left inside. The byproduct is soot that is still flammable and is the number one cause of chimney fires. Creosote is so dangerous that if eaten you will fall into a coma or even death, even just inhaling in creosote fumes causes irritation throughout your respiratory system and can be incredibly dangerous in small kids and the elderly. 

Catch Issues That Go Unnoticed

• Animals in Your Chimney
  • Often animals make their home your chimney. This can be dangerous for the animal and the customer due to animals carrying diseases such as Histoplasmosis (respiratory disease), Candidiasis (fungus infection), Salmonellosis (food poisoning), and more. While people often start a fire in their chimney with an animal inside it’s often unable to escape and dies which escalates the problem. Here at Allstar Chimney Sweep St. Augustine we have trained professionals that practice humane animal removal and will remove it while doing no harm to the animal.
• Water leaks
  • Creosote often left by plants that were burned slowly, contains unburnt gases making it highly flammable. Creosote is a toxic substance so much so that if consumed it can result in a coma or even death, even while only breathing in creosote fumes they still cause irritation throughout your respiratory system.

• Why DIY Chimney Sweep/ Repair Is Bad
  • Chimneys that are installed/altered by non-professionals is a leading cause of chimney malfunctions. Even trying to clean a chimney by yourself can lead to complications due to the use of sub-par equipment with little to no training. This can cause certain hurdles in the future or just waste your time and do nothing to help the chimney. We use only the leading equipment in our industry and only CSIA trained technicians to ensure we have the best tools available with the know-how to use the tools to their full potential.