START WITH AN INSPECTION
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you have your chimney inspected yearly (source: NFPA Code 211).
The second largest cause of home structure fires between 1994 and 1998 were caused by heating equipment, resulting in over $550 million in damage and over 400 civilian deaths (Source: NFPA Fire Analysis & Research Division). |
 |
WHAT WE DO ...
When you call Metro West Chimney Sweep, we always recommend that before any work be done every flue in your chimney be inspected. Our experienced sweeps do this with a 20 point written condition report that clearly explains each component of your chimney and the condition it is in. Our sweeps let you, the homeowner, get a birds-eye view of your chimney and make recommendations on how to protect the investment that you made in your home.
VIDEO INSPECTIONS
The wonders of technology now let you see right inside your chimney from the comfort of your favorite room. Occasionally, homeowners would like to see first hand the condition of their chimney flues. Sometimes it is necessary when insurance issues need to be addressed. Metro West Chimney Sweep uses the Chim-Scan system that allows the homeowner to view the chimney on a television-like screen while the sweep uses a small, high-powered camera inserted into the chimney. The camera picks up any cracks, abnormalities and excessive creosote buildup and sends it straight to the Chim-Scan screen in color. A video can even be made while this is being done. Your personal sweep then can identify and explain problems and what can be done to rectify the situation. Metro West Chimney will also work directly with your homeowner's insurance company to see if you have the right to a claim.
MOST PEOPLE ASSUME THERE WILL BE A SOOTY MESS ...
One of our favorite lines that " we wouldn't still be in business after over 16 years if we went around messing up people's houses!" Not to say that every sweep doesn't occasionally have a cleaning accident, but for the homeowner it should be the last thing on their mind. These are not the days of Mary Poppins and Bert ... the industry has come a long way to ensure a quick, fuss-free experience when it comes to sweeping a flue.
Our sweeps at Metro West Chimney Sweep use high-speed vacuums to take care of the byproducts of a cleaning. Large drop cloths are used around the area of cleaning, when necessary, to prevent any wayward ashes from getting onto furnishings. And our sweeps take extra precautions when in your home, because, after all, it is your home and we want to be invited back!
THE ROOF QUESTION ...
Many of our customers are surprised when our sweeps don't bring their rods and brushes up on the roof. In most cases, but not always, the flues of your chimney can be cleaned from the bottom up. Building standards have changed drastically over the past century so that most flues have access at the bottom for ease of cleaning.
Our sweeps at Metro West Chimney Sweep pick the proper brush for the size and shape of the flue with the proper bristle to handle the extent of creosote buildup. They add flexible rods as they go along so that the entire length of your chimney gets full attention.
Should your sweep need to clean from the roofline down, rest assured, our sweeps have years of experience and Metro West Chimney Sweep is fully insured. Your personal sweep will be happy to share his record with you.
RELINING / WHAT DOES A LINER LOOK LIKE?
Metro West Chimney Sweep uses ForeverFlex stainless steel liners. Most liners are long, flexible tubes that fit right down your flue and are sealed at the top and attached to your heating appliance. They increase the efficiency of your furnace or fireplace by increasing the draft, thus safely removing exhaust quickly and effortlessly.
Your personal, professional sweep will recommend the best liner for your heating system or fireplace, ensure that it is the correct size for the BTU output of your system, and determine the correct shape that will promote maximum efficiency. Metro West Chimney Sweep conforms to the National Fire Protection Association's Code, 211, pertaining to chimneys which are often more strict than local building codes.
MASONRY REPAIR AND WATERPROOFING
Loose bricks, missing mortar between the joints, cracking at the top, scaling of the outer bricks ... all the sure signs of New England weather! Rain seeps into the brick and mortar, freezes, expands and does a world of damage. Year after year your chimney takes extreme abuse and after some time, begins to show the wear and tear of the seasons.
Your professional sweep at Metro West Chimney Sweep has solutions. Whether replacing the mortar between the bricks (repointing), replacing loose bricks, fixing the mortar top of the chimney (crown) or rebuilding from the roofline up, Metro West Sweeps are well experienced in all forms of masonry repair. They are also able to repair or replace the flashing seal in between your chimney and roof and prevent moisture from leaching into your brick with ChimneySaver waterproofing products.
CALL A CHIMNEY SWEEP FOR A PESKY CRITTER?
Do you have an uninvited guest in your chimney? Chimneys are an ideal place for some animals to nest, but not for the homeowner. Where else can a raccoon, squirrel or bird find a nice, warm, dry safe home in a nice neighborhood? Having an animal rooming in your chimney causes many hazards: they can block the normal flow of gases from your furnace, cause smoking when using the fireplace, accidentally fall, not to mention the lack of cleanliness.
Metro West Chimney Sweep can remove your unwanted guest from your chimney, dead or alive. State laws protect these creatures, so the critter must remain on the property. Having a chimney cap will prevent such intruders from making their way in.
