Milwaukee Chimney Cleaning | Chimney Sweeping

Chimney Sweeps have been around for 100's of years, here are some interesting facts and tales about chimney cleaning for my Milwaukee chimney cleaning customers to share.

Facts and Fiction
                          

Facts

1. Over 40,000 chimney fires occur every year.
2. More than $23,000,000 in damage occurs  every year from chimney fires.
3. CREOSOTE is a black or dark brown substance with a strong acrid odor that forms in a wood burning chimney. It has a consistency from tar like to runny. It is essentially pure carbon, with a gooey covering.
4. Carbon has a very high flaming point.
5. Creosote continues to build up on chimney surfaces as more wood is burnt.
6. If CREOSOTE builds up to a point where it clogs or greatly restricts a chimney, the outer coating of the CREOSOTE could catch fire which would ignite the carbon in the creosote. THIS IS ACHINMEY FIRE.
7. Normal flue temperatures for wood burning is between 200° - 700°F. Carbon burns in excess of 3000°F.
8. Stovepipes have literally torn apart by the combination of heat and the force of the increased oxygen demand of burning CREOSOTE.
9. Burning wood can be and is very safe and economical if done properly.
10. Insurance statistics show that a vast majority of wood stove related accidents are a result of either improper installation or a lack of proper maintenance.
11. CREOSOTE cannot be entirely prevented but you can prevent dangerous buildups.
12. Never burn trash and bundles of paper such as Christmas wrapping paper in a stove or fireplace.
13. If you have a wood stove or fireplace insert, NFPA 211 states that you shall have it cleaned and inspected every year.
14. You can pray to St. Florian. He is the patron saint of Chimney Sweeps.
15. In German Chimney Sweep is “Schontinfeger”.
16. Clean Sweep Chimney Service has been in business since 1979.
17. Both Bud and Brian Hinchman are certified by CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) and are members of NCSG (National Chimney Sweep Guild).

Folklore and Superstition

1. An English King was once saved from death by a Chimney Sweep when the sweep was able to jump out and stop the King’s runaway carriage. The King announced that this was his lucky day and that the sweep made it so. From that day on, many lucky things were associated with a Chimney Sweep.
2. If you see a Chimney Sweep atop a house, that house will be blessed.
3. If you shake the hand of a Chimney Sweep or touch his coat, good luck will rub off on you.
4. If a Chimney Sweep kisses the bride and shakes the hand of the groom it will bring a happy marriage and a fertile union.
5. Wearing a top hat brings good luck.
6. Children used to steal a few bristles from a Sweep’s brush and carry them for luck.
7. It’s good luck to kiss a sweep.
8. It is an old wives tale that once a chimney fire has occurred, the chimney is cleaned or burned clean. NOT TRUE.
9. Another NOT TRUE, is that burlap bags with rocks in them or chains will clear a chimney of CREOSOTE. They just can’t do the job.
10. One theory of the top hat and tails, is that sweeps were so poor, that they had to beg for clothing. When wealthy undertakers gave the Sweeps their cast offs, the black coat and hat suited the Sweeps fine in their sooty job.
11. Another theory of the top hat and tails is that poor sweeps were at the bottom of the European society so they began wearing the top hat and tails to try to upgrade and dignify their profession.
12. In Germany, if a black cat crosses your path, hold your coat button until you see a Chimney Sweep. Lots of buttons were pulled off waiting for the sight of a Chimney Sweep.
13. Chimney Sweeps used to “BUY”  thin boys to be a “chimney climbers”. The Sweep would tie a rope around the boy and lower him into the chimney with a brush to clean the chimney.
14. A  goose was tied by it’s feet with a rope and lowered into a chimney to clean it.

Clean Sweep Chimney Service is located in Southeastern Wisconsin and services Milwaukee, Waukesha, Slinger, and the entire Southeastern Wisconsin area. If you need Chimney repair or Chimney Cleaning Call us at (414) 483-9996. Our Website is at http://cleansweepchimney.vpweb.com

Milwaukee Chimney Repair | Call the Best | Firebox repair

The firebox of a fireplace that’s well-used year after year, being frequently exposed to the searing temperatures of blazing-hot fires, will often fall into a state of disrepair.  A firebox with deteriorating mortar joints and crumbling bricks is one of the things that your professional chimney sweep can help you identify as a hazard.  If the firebox doesn’t properly contain the heat, your home could be in danger of catching fire; it’s essential to conduct a firebox repair.  While you’re getting a rebuild for safety reasons, why not give your fireplace a fresh new look?
Keep in mind that an often-used fireplace does not have to have a firebox that’s a blackened mess.  If you use clean-burning logs and give your fireplace a good scrubbing at least annually, the firebox will appear clean at all times and add significantly to the pleasant aesthetics of your fireplace.
You must, of course, use firebricks which are specially made to withstand the extreme temperatures in a firebox, and special high-temperature refractory mortar must also be used.  Choose a special design with the appropriate materials as you restore your firebox to structural integrity.
While getting a firebox repair, there are many additional options you have to increase the beauty and change the appearance of your fireplace. Firebricks can be laid in a herringbone design pattern, for example.  The type of brick you use can give a modern look or an upgraded antique appearance.  Thin strips of firebricks can be laid in a vertical pattern which creates the effect of narrow books on a shelf; separate the vertical rows with thin horizontal layers. With any of these types of upgrades, your fireplace can be more of a showpiece than ever.  Imagine the added pleasure you could have as you watch the dance of the flames encased in a new, well-designed firebox.
There are other ways to give your fireplace a nice facelift, even if no firebox repairs are needed.  The outer hearth is a feature which can add a whole new look to the room while providing protection.  You can choose tiles of different colors and varied patterns.  There are also highly artistic tiles that you could use which could brighten your room or add a new dimension to your décor.

Adding a decorative mantel or pilaster around your fireplace will turn a drab fireplace into a dramatic focal point of the room.

The mantel shelf and surround has traditionally been a focal point of the fireplace, though in modern days there is often times no mantel at all. A change in the type of mantelpiece you use or eliminating the mantel altogether could create a pleasing effect.  You may not even need to switch out the mantel; for example, simply paint it and put vases on it instead of photographs or vice versa.
Another great option which creates a new look and at the same time could take the place of rebuilding your firebox is a fireplace insert. The metal insert will fit right into your firebox and provide a much more efficient wood, pellet or gas burning appliance. Fireplace inserts add much more heat to your home, whereas traditional fireplaces tend to lose most of the heat up the chimney. There are many different styles to choose from, all of which offer you a quick and easy way to achieve a complete makeover.  A chimney sweep should be consulted both to make sure you get the correct size and to install the insert.  A correctly installed fireplace insert keeps your home safe and at the same time can significantly offset your heating costs too.


Clean Sweep Chimney Service is located in Southeastern Wisconsin and services Milwaukee, Waukesha, Slinger, and the entire Southeastern Wisconsin area. If you need Chimney repair or Chimney Cleaning Call us at (414) 483-9996. Our Website is at http://cleansweepchimney.vpweb.com

Milwaukee Chimney Repair | Smoke from basement fireplace

 When I build a fire in my upstairs fireplace, I get smoke from the basement fireplace.

This is a common problem in modern air tight houses where weather-proofing has sealed up the usual air infiltration routes. The fireplace in use exhausts household air until a negative pressure situation exists. If the house is fairly tight, the simplest route for makeup air to enter the structure is often the unused fireplace chimney. As air is drawn down this unused flue, it picks up smoke that is exiting nearby from the fireplace in use and delivers the smoke to the living area. The best solution is to provide makeup air to the house so the negative pressure problem no longer exists, thus eliminating not only the smoke problem, but also the potential for carbon monoxide to be drawn back down the furnace chimney. A secondary solution is to install a top mount damper on the fireplace that is used the least.

Clean Sweep Chimney Service is located in Southeastern Wisconsin and services Milwaukee, Waukesha, Slinger, and the entire Southeastern Wisconsin area. If you need Chimney repair or Chimney Cleaning Call us at (414) 483-9996. Our Website is at http://cleansweepchimney.vpweb.com