Milwaukee Chimney Cleaning | Clean Sweep

 Keeping chimneys clean in Milwaukee is the a key step in preventing chimney fires. If you don't use your fireplace very often, or you just moved, you might not know whether your chimney is clean or not.
The following signs indicate a chimney in need of a cleaning:

• Burned wood odors coming from the fireplace when it's not being used.
• Fires that seem to burn poorly or that dump a bunch of smoke into the room.
• A black damper. Since it sits right above the firebox, the damper is often the easiest thing to see and reach. And it gets caked with creosote. Look or reach inside, and see what you can find. If you see black gunk or you can pull out chunks of the stuff, there's a good amount of creosote built up inside.

How often you need to clean your chimney depends a great deal on how much you use it. The kinds of fires you build and the type of wood you use also govern frequency. As a rule of thumb, it's a good idea to have chimneys cleaned at least once a year, usually before cold weather sets in. Some people prefer to do it in the spring, and some chimney sweeps offer special promotions at this time of year to keep business going. This is fine, too, but scheduling a fall cleaning will also clear out anything that might have fallen into the chimney during the summer.
Most people hire chimney sweeps. We recommend it as well. It's dirty work, and not something that's okay to do half-way. A certified, well-trained sweep will do a better job in a shorter amount of time than you can. Look for someone who is credentialed by the National Chimney Sweep Guild or the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

Read more of this article from Life Family Education.

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

Chimney Cleaning Milwaukee | Chimney Fire Facts

The Facts About Chimney Fires

“Chimneys really decorate the roofline of a home… and they’re maintenance–free, besides. Right?”  Your chimney–and the flue that lines it–adds architectural interest to your home, but its’ real function is to carry dangerous flue gases from your fireplace, wood stove or furnace safely out of your home. A chimney helps your household air stay breathable…just as your windows and your bathroom, attic and kitchen vents do. Unlike those other exhaust points in your home, however, fireplace and wood stove chimneys need a special kind of care.

As you snuggle in front of a cozy fire or bask in the warmth of your wood stove, you are taking part in a ritual of comfort and enjoyment handed down through the centuries. The last thing you are likely to be thinking about is the condition of your chimney. However, if you don’t give some thought to it before you light those winter fires, your enjoyment may be very short-lived. Why? Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires, which damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people. 

No One Welcomes a Chimney Fire
A chimney fire in action can be impressive. Indications of a chimney fire have been described as creating:

• loud cracking and popping noise
• a lot of dense smoke, and
• an intense, hot smell

Chimney fires can burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or people passing by. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane. However, those are only the chimney fires you know about. Slow-burning chimney fires don’t get enough air or have fuel to be dramatic or visible. But, the temperatures they reach are very high and can cause as much damage to the chimney structure – and nearby combustible parts of the house – as their more spectacular cousins. With proper chimney system care, chimney fires are entirely preventable. 



Creosote & Chimney Fires: What You Must Know
Fireplaces and wood stoves are designed to safely contain wood-fuel fires, while providing heat for a home. The chimneys that serve them have the job of expelling the by-products of combustion – the substances produced when wood burns. These include smoke, water vapor, gases, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbon, tar fog and assorted minerals. As these substances exit the fireplace or wood stove, and flow up into the relatively cooler chimney, condensation occurs. The resulting residue that sticks to the inner walls of the chimney is called creosote.  

Creosote is black or brown in appearance. It can be crusty and flaky…tar-like, drippy and sticky…or shiny and hardened. Often, all forms will occur in one chimney system. Whatever form it takes, creosote is highly combustible. If it builds up in sufficient quantities – and the internal flue temperature is high enough – the result could be a chimney fire.  Certain conditions encourage the buildup of creosote. Restricted air supply, unseasoned wood and, cooler than normal chimney temperatures are all factors that can accelerate the buildup of creosote on chimney flue walls. Air supply may be restricted by closing the glass doors, by failing to open the damper wide enough, and the lack of sufficient make-up air  to move heated smoke up the chimney rapidly (the longer the smoke’s “residence time” in the flue, the more likely is it that creosote will form). A wood stove’s air supply can be limited by closing down the stove damper or air inlets too soon or too much. Burning unseasoned wood – because so much energy is used initially just to drive off the water trapped in the cells of the logs– keeps the resulting smoke cooler, than if seasoned wood is used. In the case of wood stoves, overloading the firebox with wood in an attempt to get a longer burn time also contributes to creosote buildup.

How Chimney Fires Hurt Chimneys 
Masonry Chimneys
When a chimney fire occur in masonry chimney – whether the flue is an older, unlined type or tile lined to meet current safety codes – the high temperatures at which they burn (around 2000°F) can “melt mortar, crack tiles, cause liners to collapse and damage the outer masonry material”.  Most often, thermal shock occurs and tiles crack and mortar is displaced, which provides a pathway for flames to reach the combustible wood frame of the house. This event is extremely dangerous, call 911 immediately.

Pre-fabricated, factory-built, metal chimneys
To be installed in most jurisdictions in the United States, factory built, metal chimneys that are designed to vent wood burning stoves or pre-fabricated metal fireplaces must pass special tests. Most tests require the chimney to withstand flue temperatures up to 2100°F – without sustaining damage. Under chimney fire conditions, damage to these systems still may occur. When pre-fabricated, factory-built metal chimneys are damaged by a chimney fire, they should no longer be used and must be replaced.  

Special Effects on Wood Stoves
Wood stoves are made to contain hot fires. The connector pipes that run from the stove to the chimney are another matter. They cannot withstand the high temperatures produced during a chimney fire and can warp, buckle and even separate from the vibrations created by air turbulence during a fire. If damaged by a chimney fire, they must be replaced.  

Nine Signs that You’ve Had a Chimney Fire
Since a chimney, damaged by a chimney fire, can endanger a home and its’ occupants and a chimney fire can occur without anyone being aware of them it’s important to have your chimney regularly inspected by a CSIA Certifed Chimney Sweep. Here are the signs that a professional chimney sweep looks for:

• “Puffy” or “honey combed” creosote
• Warped metal of the damper, metal smoke chamber connector pipe or factory-built metal chimney
• Cracked or collapsed flue tiles, or tiles with large chunks missing
• Discolored and/or distorted rain cap
• Heat-damaged TV antenna attached to the chimney
• Creosote flakes and pieces found on the roof or ground
• Roofing material damaged from hot creosote
• Cracks in exterior masonry
• Evidence of smoke escaping through mortar joints of masonry or tile liners

If you think a chimney fire has occurred, call a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® for a professional evaluation. If your suspicions are confirmed, a certified sweep will be able to make recommendations about how to bring the system back into compliance with safety standards. Depending on the situation, you might need a few flue tiles replaced, a new liner system installed or an entire chimney rebuilt. Each situation is unique and will dictate its own solution.  

Proper Maintenance
Clean chimneys don’t catch fire. Make sure a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep inspects your solid fuel venting system annually, and cleans and repairs it whenever needed. Your sweep may have other maintenance recommendations depending on how you use your fireplace or stove. CSIA recommends that you call on CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps, since they are regularly tested on their understanding of the complexities of chimney and venting system.  

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

Your Chimney and Venting System | Chimney Cleaning Milwaukee

About Your Chimney and Venting System

When most American homeowners think of their chimneys, living room fireplaces immediately come to mind. While those fireplaces most likely have chimneys, your home’s primary heating system also is very likely to have a chimney or chimneys to carry heat, smoke and dangerous flue gasses out of your home. Whether you heat your home or your fireplace is fueled by gas, oil, wood or pellets, you most certainly want to keep your chimney and venting system in mind as an integral part of an efficient system. The Chimney Safety Institute of America and many other fire safety organizations recommend that chimneys and vents are inspected annually and maintained as needed. This section of our website was designed to help you learn more about your chimney and venting system and what to expect when you call a chimney professional so you can make educated decisions about your chimney and venting system. While CSIA can provide general information, we recommend that you contact a local CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep for chimney inspections and advice tailored specifically to your home’s systems. You can locate a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep by entering your zip code below. Full article here

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

Chimney Cleaning Milwaukee | How Your Chimney Works

Here is a little information on how your chimney works for my Milwaukee and Waukesha customers.  Remember to give me a call if you need chimney Cleaning or Chimney Repair in Milwaukee or Waukesha.
Full Article can be found here

How Your Chimney Really Works

Is your chimney not working correctly? Does it seem like you have tried everything and nothing helps? Perhaps the problem lies in your Chimney Physics!

At first, this might sound complicated. But really it isn't. Here are some simple scientific fundamentals to explain how and why a chimney works - or maybe why it doesn't. This brochure is designed to make it easy to follow along with the procedures a knowledgeable CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® will use to diagnose smoking or odor problems with your chimney.

Your House as a System

Even though you can't see it, the air in your house is constantly in motion. In general, airflow tries to flow out of your house in the upper parts and make up air tries to flow into your house in the lower parts of your house. Thinking of your house as a system makes it easy to understand the reasons for that airflow. The actual flow of air into and out of any home is influenced by a number of constantly changing factors, including: stack effect; wind loading; interior mechanical systems and fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves and water heaters. 

Homes built in the past 25 years, and older homes that have been renovated, have been made more airtight. This makes it much more difficult for makeup air to enter the home. As the saying goes, “hot air rises”, and so does the warm air in your home.

When the warm air rises to the upper areas it's called the stack effect. That trapped air creates a pressurized area and forces its way out - through even very small openings such as recessed light fixtures and window frames. At the same time replacement air is trying to enter in the lower part of the building to make up for the escaping air. 

Somewhere in your house, amid all this airflow, is something called the Neutral Pressure Plane (NPP). Above this theoretical plane, the air pressure is slightly positive compared to the outdoor air pressure and is trying to force its way out of the house. Below the plane, it is slightly negative and the house is trying to draw air in. The location of the NPP can constantly change in response to changing conditions.

All of the factors that affect airflow in the house also influence the level of the Neutral Pressure Plane. 

Anytime a fireplace or fuel-fired heating appliance (except direct vent) is below the plane, air will tend to flow into the house through the chimney or vent. A common example of this is found in homes with two fireplaces, one below the other. As the upper level fireplace uses air for combustion and chimney flow, it depressurizes that level slightly causing air to flow upwards from the lower level. Since the lower level fireplace is below the NPP, it draws air into the basement through the chimney. Unfortunately, since those two flues generally exit the chimney close to each other, the makeup air can contain some smoke from the fireplace above and it can pick up unpleasant chimney odors as it passes down the chimney flue.

Wind-loading is the effect on interior house pressures caused by the wind. When wind strikes a building, it creates high pressure on the side that it hits and low pressure on the downwind side. Any open windows or doors on the windward side will help to pressurize the house, increasing chimney draft. However, openings on the downwind (leeward) side will depressurize the house and increase the likeliness of backdrafting from chimneys or vents. Backdrafting is a reversal of the airflow in which the smoke is coming into the house instead of going up the chimney. 

Interior mechanical devices such as clothes dryers, kitchen fans, bathroom fans, attic fans and central vacuums can also create depressurization by removing large volumes of air from the house. The result is often negative pressure in the area of a fireplace, woodstove, or other fuel-fired heating appliance making it increasingly difficult for natural draft chimneys to function as intended.

Another mechanical system that commonly removes air from the house is a forced-air furnace. Many such systems are out-of-balance due to leaks in the ducts. Leaky supply ducts cause air to be blown into the attic or crawlspace. Leaky return ducts draw air from the basement or other areas they pass through.

Furnaces, water-heaters, fireplaces and woodstoves are examples of fuel-burning appliances that require large volumes of air for combustion. Unless they are specifically equipped to draw air in from outside the house, such as direct vent appliances, operating them can reduce the inside air pressure. There are a variety of mechanical devices on the market that help provide the necessary make up air to balance the air pressure needs of your house system.

Draft and Flow Many experienced chimney professionals use the similarities between water and air to explain the way your chimney works. Although most people don't realize it, the air moving up your chimney works under the same set of physical principles as water flowing in a hose or pipe.

When a fireplace chimney is full of hot air, it actually pulls air through the firebox. This pulling effect is called draft and it corresponds to the amount of pressure in a water hose - the only difference is that the air pressure is negative and the water pressure is positive (think of using a straw to drink with instead of to blow bubbles). Thus, a chimney is called a negative pressure system. Increasing the draft in your chimney is like opening the faucet wider on the hose. The simplest way to increase the draft in your chimney is to burn the fire hotter - hotter air is lighter, so it has more pull. Another way to get more draft is to increase the height of your chimney - except when the chimney is already so tall that frictional forces negate the effect of the extra height.

Given the same amount of pressure, a larger pipe can obviously carry a greater volume of water than a smaller one. The same is true for chimneys - with the same amount of draft (pressure) a larger flue will exhaust more smoke from your fireplace than a smaller one. But just as a water hose can be kinked or plugged, the airflow in your chimney can have a restriction that slows down the smoke flowing up the chimney. Some of the reasons for poor flow in a chimney are: excessive creosote deposits; closed or plugged dampers; improper construction; structural damage or even a dirty chimney cap. In fact, having a plugged-up chimney cap at the end of your chimney is just like having a closed nozzle at the end of a hose - you just can't get any airflow through the chimney. Your CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep can evaluate your chimney and recommend any corrective action to ensure that it is capable of the proper draft and flow. 

 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

 

Chimney Cleaning Milwaukee | What is the best Firewood?

Firewood is an area where you can have great influence over how well your system performs and how enjoyable your experience will be. Quality, well seasoned firewood will help your wood stove or fireplace burn cleaner and more efficiently, while green or wet wood can cause smoking problems, odor problems, rapid creosote buildup and possibly even dangerous chimney fires.
A few minutes spent understanding firewood will be time well spent, so please read on for general background information, as well as how to buy wood and store wood.
Seasoned Wood
All firewood contains water. Freshly cut wood can be up to 45% water!, while well seasoned firewood generally has a 20-25% moisture content. Well seasoned firewood is easier to start, produces more heat, and burns cleaner. The important thing to remember is that the water must be gone before the wood will burn. If your wood is cut 6 months to a year in advance and properly stored, the sun and wind will do the job for free. If you try to burn green wood, the heat produced by combustion must dry the wood before it will burn, using up a large percentage of the available energy in the process. This results in less heat delivered to your home, and literally gallons of acidic water in the form of creosote deposited in your chimney.
Wood is composed of bundles of microscopic tubes that were used to transport water from the roots of the tree to the leaves. These tubes will stay full of water for years even after a tree is dead. This is why it is so important to have your firewood cut to length for 6 months or more before you burn it, it gives this water a chance to evaporate since the tube ends are finally open and the water only has to migrate a foot or two to escape. Splitting the wood helps too by exposing more surface area to the sun and wind, but cutting the wood to shorter lengths is of primary importance.
There are a few things you can look for to see if the wood you intend to purchase is seasoned or not. Well seasoned firewood generally has darkened ends with cracks or splits visible, it is relatively lightweight, and makes a clear "clunk" when two pieces are beat together. Green wood on the other hand is very heavy, the ends look fresher, and it tends to make a dull "thud" when struck. These clues can fool you however, and by far the best way to be sure you have good wood when you need it is to buy your wood the spring before you intend to burn it and store it properly.
Storing Firewood
Even well seasoned firewood can be ruined by bad storage. Exposed to constant rain or covered in snow, wood will reabsorb large amounts of water, making it unfit to burn and causing it to rot before it can be used. Wood should be stored off the ground if possible and protected from excess moisture when weather threatens.
The ideal situation is a wood shed, where there is a roof but open or loose sides for plenty of air circulation to promote drying. Next best would be to keep the wood pile in a sunny location and cover it on rainy or snowy days, being sure to remove the covering during fair weather to allow air movement and to avoid trapping ground moisture under the covering. Also don't forget that your woodpile also looks like heaven to termites, so it's best to only keep a week or so worth of wood near the house in easy reach. With proper storage you can turn even the greenest wood into great firewood in 6 months or a year, and it can be expected to last 3 or 4 years if necessary.
Click here for the entire article from the csia

Milwaukee Chimney Sweep | What you need to know

What You Need To Know When Burning Wood

 Here is some information about burning wood in your home for my Milwaukee Chimney customers.

To aid in the prevention of chimney fires and carbon monoxide intrusion and to help keep heating appliances and fireplaces functioning properly, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) offers the following safety tips:
1. Get an annual chimney check. Have chimneys inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a qualified professional chimney service technician. This reduces the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or obstructions in the chimneys.

2. Keep it clear. Keep tree branches and leaves at least 15 feet away from the top of the chimney.

3. Install a chimney cap to keep debris and animals out of the chimney.

4. Choose the right fuel. For burning firewood in wood stoves or fireplaces, choose wellseasoned wood that has been split for a minimum of six months - one year and stored in a covered and elevated location. Never burn Christmas trees or treated wood in your fireplace or wood stove.

5. Build it right. Place firewood or firelogs at the rear of the fireplace on a supporting grate. To start the fire, use kindling or a commercial firelighter. Never use flammable liquids.

6. Keep the hearth area clear. Combustible material too close to the fireplace, or to a wood stove, could easily catch fire. Keep furniture at least 36” away from the hearth.

7. Use a fireplace screen. Use metal mesh or a screen in front of the fireplace to catch flying sparks that could ignite or burn holes in the carpet or flooring.

8. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Place detectors throughout the house and check batteries in the spring and fall. When you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time, remember to check your batteries.

9. Never leave a fire unattended. Before turning in for the evening, be sure that the fire is fully extinguished. Supervise children and pets closely around wood stoves and fireplaces.

10. The CSIA recommends annual inspections performed by CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps. These chimney sweeps have earned the industry's most respected credential by passing an intensive examination based on fire codes, clearances and standards for the construction and maintenance of chimney and venting systems. The National Fire Protection Association also recommends that all chimneys are inspected on an annual basis.


In business for over 15 years, our locally owned company provides excellent workmanship to keep your chimney, fireplace, stove or furnace venting properly and safely.
Call us for any Chimney Cleaning or Chimney Repairs.  We service all of Southeastern Wisconsin,  Milwaukee and so on.

We are licensed, insured and provide a 10-year guarantee on all work. Company owner Phil Mueller is present and working on every job. He is a U.S. Air Force Gulf War veteran and holds a mechanical engineering degree.

Chimney Cleaning Milwaukee

Clean Sweep Chimney provides chimney cleaning, chimney sweeping and related services to keep your chimney, flue and chimney dampers working safely.

We clean commercial and residential fireplace chimneys, wood stove chimneys and gas and oil furnace chimneys. Our company has served Milwaukee and Waukesha counties for more than 15 years, and is licensed and insured.
Our Chimney Cleaning Services Include:

• Chimney safety inspection
• Chimney creosote removal
• Fireplace chimney cleaning
• Furnace chimney cleaning
• Woodstove chimney cleaning
• Chimney sweep services
• Smoke and odor elimination
• Animal removal

Clean Sweep Chimney Service is locally owned and dedicated to first-quality workmanship. Our owner is present and working on every job.
Contact Clean Sweep Chimney Service today at 414-483-9996 to set an appointment, or browse our website for more information about Chimney Repair or Chimney Relining.

Chimney Repair Milwaukee

This is my first post, check back for more information regarding chimney cleaning and repair in the Milwaukee area.  If you are currently looking for chimney cleaning or service feel free to call me at (414) 483-9996.