by Mike O'Mara | Aug 15, 2016 | Dryer Vent Maintenance
You could be at risk of an accidental fire in your home if your dryer vent is clogged. The US Fire Administration published a report that found that 2,900 clothes dryer fires are reported every year, and these fires result in approximately five deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property losses. The leading cause for these fires was failure to clean the dryer vent, which means these fires could have been prevented. Weststar Chimney Sweeps can help you prevent an accidental clothes dryer fire in your home with our professional dryer vent cleaning services. Our technicians have the training and experience to remove all of the lint and other debris from your dryer vent, which greatly reduces your risk of a fire. This service is recommended to be done annually, but there are a few warning signs that can alert you to have your dryer vent cleaned as soon as possible. We would like to tell you about these signs so you will know when your vent is clogged.
Your clothes are still damp after a complete dryer cycle.
When the dryer vent is clogged, your clothes dryer cannot work as efficiently as it could. When the hot and damp air is unable to leave the dryer through the vent, it makes it difficult for a load of clothes to dry completely in one cycle. When your clothes are still damp at the end of a drying cycle, you should contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule an appointment for a dryer vent cleaning. You will notice that your clothes dryer will work better than ever after we have cleaned the vent.
Your dryer is too hot to touch.
A clogged dryer vent causes your dryer to overheat, and the appliance can become too hot to touch. This is a warning sign of a dangerous situation as these high temperatures can easily ignite the lint that is clogged inside the vent. You may even notice a burning smell, and if you do, you should immediately turn your dryer off and contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to clean the vent.
Your lint screen is only collecting lint on half of the screen.
You should be cleaning off the lint from the lint screen before or after each load of clothes you dry. When your vent is working properly, one side of the entire lint screen should be covered with lint. However, if you notice that the screen is only collecting lint on part of the screen, on both sides of the screen, or not collecting any lint at all, this is a sign that the dryer vent is clogged and unable to work correctly. Weststar Chimney Sweeps can clean the dryer vent so that it will be able to work properly.
If you notice any of these warning signs, your dryer vent is most likely clogged. To prevent this hazard from becoming more dangerous, contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule an appointment for our professional dryer vent cleaning services.
by Mike O'Mara | Jul 9, 2016 | Chimney Sweeping
One of the biggest reasons why you need to have your chimney professionally swept every year is to have all of the creosote that has accumulated on the walls of your chimney removed. A natural compound that develops during the combustion process of burning wood, creosote is so flammable that the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) has named it as a leading cause of chimney fires. Usually, a professional chimney sweeping will remove all of the creosote from your chimney, but sometimes the creosote can build up so badly that it turns into a glaze that coats the chimney walls that cannot be removed by a typical chimney sweeping. Weststar Chimney Sweeps knows what to do in this type of situation to get all of that glazed creosote out of the chimney. We would like to tell you more about our creosote deglazing services.
What exactly is creosote deglazing?
A detailed mechanical cleaning, creosote deglazing is the process we use to remove creosote that has become baked onto your chimney walls. Weststar Chimney Sweeps uses special tools, including a high-speed half-inch drill and a 24-inch wizard whip, to break down the rock-solid glazed creosote and remove it from your chimney. Standard chimney sweeping tools are not powerful enough to do this task correctly.
How did the creosote become glazed in my chimney?
Creosote buildup happens in three stages. In the first stage, the creosote has a fluffy and velvety texture, and in the second stage, it becomes flaky and crumbly. When creosote reaches the third stage, it turns into a shiny, black glaze that coats the inner chimney walls. Although creosote is a natural and expected residue of burning wood, the third stage of creosote usually occurs due to user practices, especially burning unseasoned wood. When you burn wood that has not been allowed to dry sufficiently, the fire burns at a lower temperature because it is spending a lot of energy drying out the moisture in the wood. A cooler fire can accelerate the development of creosote, which can lead to creosote glazing. Another user error that allows creosote to glaze is not opening the damper completely during a fire, as this allows the fire to smolder. Installation errors can also encourage the development of glazed creosote. Newer fireplace inserts are typically much smaller than masonry chimneys and need professional installation to work properly. Weststar Chimney Sweeps can install a stainless steel chimney liner to provide a correctly sized flue for your insert. This will prevent the drafting problems that can lead to glazed creosote on your chimney walls.
Make sure your chimney is ready to use this fall. Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule your appointment for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection today.
by Mike O'Mara | Jun 30, 2016 | Chimney Sweeping
Many of the national fire safety organizations like the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend that you have your chimney professionally swept and inspected before you light the first fire of the year. In order to be able to enjoy your fireplace when fall arrives, you should schedule your appointment for these chimney maintenance services in the summer. Chimney companies, including Weststar Chimney Sweeps, start getting very busy in September, and if you wait until the fall to schedule your chimney sweeping and inspection, you might have a difficult time finding a convenient date and time for the appointment. Taking care of these tasks in the summer guarantees your fireplace will be ready to use as soon as you wish in the fall. We would like to tell you why a professional chimney sweeping and inspection is so essential.
Chimney Sweeping
The reason why it is so important to have your chimney swept before lighting the first fire of the fall is to have all of the accumulated creosote deposits removed from the inner walls of the chimney. Creosote forms naturally during the combustion process of burning wood and sticks to the inside of the flue. The problem with creosote is that it is highly flammable and can easily ignite a chimney fire if the internal temperature of the flue gets hot enough. The CSIA names creosote as a leading cause of chimney fires, so after your chimney has been swept by Weststar Chimney Sweeps, your risk of a chimney fire is greatly reduced.
Chimney Inspection
When the CSIA-certified chimney sweeps from Weststar Chimney Sweeps inspect your chimney, they will be looking for any damage or other problems that could cause your chimney to be unsafe to use. If any debris such as fallen bricks, leaves, or sticks is blocking the flue, it will be removed to reduce your risk of a chimney fire and a carbon monoxide leak. The condition of your chimney liner will be examined, and our sweeps will take a look at the exterior of your chimney to see if there are any damaged or missing bricks and mortar joints. If we find damage that needs to be repaired for your chimney to work safely, we will provide you with pictures of the damage, along with a written estimate of the repairs needed.
Beat the fall rush! Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule your appointment for our professional chimney sweeping and inspection services today.
by Mike O'Mara | Jun 21, 2016 | Chimney Maintenance
As the weather warms up each summer, Weststar Chimney Sweeps gets calls from our customers asking about unpleasant odors coming from their chimneys through the fireplaces. No one likes their home smelling badly, and you can trust our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified sweeps to help solve your chimney odor problem. Since 1999, we have been working on the chimneys of the residents of the San Diego area, and we know what causes the majority of all chimney odors. This means we know where to look for the source of the odor so we can correct the problem to get your home smelling fresh and clean again. We would like to tell you more about the most common chimney odor sources and how we deal with them.
Creosote and Soot
Both of these byproducts of combustion have stinky odors, and the heat and the humidity of the summer make creosote and soot smell even stronger. The best way to keep these odors at bay in the summer is to have your chimney professionally swept and inspected in the spring or summer. Our sweeps will be sure to remove all of the soot and creosote that has accumulated on the inner walls of your chimney, which will solve the odor issue and will reduce your risk of a chimney fire as the CSIA names creosote as a leading cause of chimney fires due to the fact it is highly flammable.
Water
If you notice a musty smell coming from your fireplace, you most likely have a chimney leak that has allowed water to get into your chimney and stand on the smoke shelf. To keep water from getting down into the chimney, you need a chimney cap professionally installed at the top. This cap will let water from rain run off its sides instead of going down the chimney. You will also be protected from leaves, dirt, and other debris from getting inside to cause a decomposing smell.
Birds and Animals
Sadly, a bird, squirrel, raccoon, or other wild animal can get into your chimney to nest, become trapped, and die inside the flue. You can imagine that this will cause a horrific rotting odor in your home. Protecting your chimney is the best way to keep one of these critters from even being able to get inside the chimney, and a chimney cap also serves to keep birds and animals from invading the flue. Weststar Chimney Sweeps offers a wide variety of chimney caps, and we can show you the caps that are the best in preventing animal invasions. Once we have installed the cap, you will not have to worry about dealing with a dead animal in your flue.
Keep your home smelling great this summer. Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps today to schedule your annual chimney sweeping and inspection with us.
by Mike O'Mara | May 10, 2016 | Chimney Sweeping
Taking care of your chimney’s annual maintenance tasks is essential for the safety and efficiency of your fireplace and chimney system. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other national fire safety organizations all strongly recommend to have your chimney professionally swept and inspected at least once a year and, preferably, before you light your first fire in the fall. This means that a large majority of homeowners wait until the fall to schedule their appointments with chimney sweeps, and this includes homeowners in the San Diego area. Weststar Chimney Sweeps has a very busy and packed calendar during the months of September through December. For this reason, it can be beneficial to schedule your appointment for these important annual chimney maintenance services with us in the off-season. We would like to tell you more about the advantages of scheduling your professional chimney sweeping and inspection in the spring and summer.
Easier time getting your appointment on a date that is convenient for you
When our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps visit your home to perform your annual chimney maintenance services, someone needs to be there while we are working. If you have a busy schedule, you will probably need to make your appointment on a specific date that is convenient for you to be at home. Waiting until the fall may just end up frustrating you as our packed calendar makes it challenging to schedule your appointment on the date you need. You may have to wait several weeks to arrange a time that works for us both. Scheduling your chimney sweeping and inspection in the spring is a breeze because you can easily find the appointment time that works for you.
No waiting to light your first fire
When you have your chimney professionally swept and inspected in the spring, your chimney will be ready to use in the fall. Since it can be so challenging to schedule an appointment that is convenient for you in the fall, you may even have to wait until after Thanksgiving to have your chimney serviced, which could put a dent in your holiday traditions. Weststar Chimney Sweeps knows one of the main reasons it is so essential to have your chimney swept before your first
fire. According to the CSIA, creosote is the main cause of chimney fires because it is extremely flammable. We will be sure to remove every bit of this natural compound to reduce your risk of a chimney fire.
Take care of repairs in a timely manner.
Dangers could be lurking inside your chimney, and you would never know about these risks without a professional chimney inspection. Weststar Chimney Sweeps carefully examines your chimney to look for any damage that needs to be repaired for your chimney to work safely. If you have your chimney inspected in the spring, you will have plenty of time to have these essential repairs performed before the fall.
Avoid the fall rush!
Contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule a spring chimney sweeping and inspection today.
