by Mike O'Mara | Feb 16, 2016 | Chimney Maintenance
Since 1999, Weststar Chimney Sweeps has been providing chimney services to the San Diego area, including El Cajon. Over the years, our Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified chimney sweeps have cleaned, inspected, and repaired thousands of chimneys across the area. With so many satisfied customers, we have become one of the most trusted chimney companies in this region, and we are very proud to have earned a Five star rating from Yelp and an A+ from the Better Business Bureau. We would like to tell you more about the types of services we offer to residents of El Cajon and other communities in the San Diego area.
CHIMNEY MAINTENANCE
To keep your chimney working efficiently and safely, the CSIA, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other national fire safety groups recommend that you have your chimney professionally swept and inspected at least once every year. These chimney maintenance tasks reduce your risks of experiencing a chimney fire or a carbon monoxide leak. Weststar Chimney Sweeps offers chimney sweeping and inspecting from our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps, and our years of training and experience allow us to do these tasks correctly and thoroughly. We will be sure to remove all of the hazardous deposits of creosote from your chimney to protect you from a dangerous chimney fire. The CSIA has named creosote as the leading cause of chimney fires, which is why its removal is so important. During our chimney inspection, we will also be sure your chimney has no damage that could make it unsafe to use. We look for flue blockages, cracked chimney liners, and other problems when we inspect chimneys.
CHIMNEY REPAIR
If you are experiencing problems with your fireplace or other heating appliance, you can count on Weststar Chimney Sweeps to find out what is causing this problem and to repair the problem so that you can use your fireplace without worrying about possible hazards. One of the most devastating chimney problems has to do with water leaks, and we offer several services to repair these leaks and to prevent leaks from occurring. Our waterproofing services can prolong the life of your masonry chimney by protecting it from water penetration.
Along with our chimney services, we also provide professional dryer vent cleaning services that greatly reduce your risk of experiencing a clothes dryer fire. If you live in the El Cajon area, call us at 619-338-8116 or start your appointment here for our superior chimney maintenance and repair services.
by Mike O'Mara | Jan 31, 2016 | Chimney Inspections
In order for your fireplace and chimney to work efficiently and safely, you must take care of a few routine maintenance tasks. Included in these tasks is a chimney inspection performed by a certified chimney professional. Scheduling this service at the start of the year allows you to enjoy your fireplace without worrying about potential problems all year long. Weststar Chimney Sweeps is proud to offer chimney inspection services, and you can trust our chimney technicians to do the best job possible. All of our technicians have been trained and certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) to properly inspect chimneys. We would like to tell you why it is so important to have your chimney professionally inspected once a year.
Reduce the Risk of Chimney Fires
One of the things Weststar Chimney Sweeps looks for when inspecting chimneys is the amount of creosote deposits that have accumulated on the inner walls of your chimney. A large amount of creosote can be very dangerous as it is an extremely flammable compound. The CSIA has named creosote as the leading cause of chimney fires because it can easily ignite if the internal temperature of your chimney gets hot enough. Once we know how much creosote is inside your chimney, we can then make the best preparations for removing it by sweeping your chimney.
Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps will also check to see if anything like leaves, bricks, or other debris is blocking the flue of your chimney. When your flue is blocked by debris, it can cause the toxic gas carbon monoxide to be forced back into your home. Without a carbon monoxide detector alarm, you could be breathing in carbon monoxide without even knowing it since it is odorless and tasteless. If we do find a blockage, we will remove the debris to make your chimney vent properly and safely.
Prolong the Life of Your Chimney
During our inspection, we will be looking for damage that could cause your chimney to be unsafe to use. Our CSIA-certified sweeps will closely examine the condition of the bricks and mortar of your chimney, as well as its components, including the liner and damper. If we find any type of damage, we will document it and give you photographs of the damage, along with a written inspection report. We can also make recommendations for repairing any damage we find.
Start off the new year by making sure your chimney is in its best condition. Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule an appointment for our certified chimney inspection services.
by Mike O'Mara | Jan 15, 2016 | Fireplaces
To keep your fireplace working properly, you must take care of it by performing a few routine maintenance tasks, and keeping the firebox clean is one of these tasks. When you are using your fireplace on a regular basis during the winter, you will need to remove ashes from the firebox every week or two. This task can pose a few safety issues, including accidental fires, so knowing how to dispose of ashes properly is very important. We place safety as our top priority at Weststar Chimney Sweeps, and we would like to share with you the best way of removing ashes from your firebox. Following these steps will allow you to safely remove ashes without any fire hazards.
Assemble your tools.
You will need a metal ash bucket that has a lid, an ash shovel, fire resistant gloves, and a face mask if you are concerned about inhaling ashes.
Allow the ashes to cool down.
We recommend waiting at least 24 hours after the fire has been extinguished before attempting to remove ashes. Sometimes, even 24 hours is not long enough to wait as ashes can burn slowly and smolder. This is why it is so important to know the proper procedure for removing ashes.
Scoop the ashes into the metal bucket.
Open up the fireplace screen and/or doors, and place your bucket in front of the firebox opening. Use your ash shovel to scoop up the ashes and place them in the bucket. If you come across any live embers, push them to the back of the firebox and cover them with a thin layer of ashes. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) actually recommends that you leave a one-inch layer of ashes on the firebox floor to help you build and maintain fires. This thin layer of ash can also protect the floor of your firebox.
Place the lid tightly on the bucket and store it outside of your home.
It is very important that you ensure that the lid fits tightly and completely seals the ashes inside the bucket. This will keep the ashes from spilling out if the bucket is knocked over by wind or something else accidentally. Additionally, there could be live embers or smoldering ashes within the bucket, and without a lid sealing the bucket, oxygen could reach those hot ashes to ignite a fire. It is also important to store this bucket outside on a non-combustible surface such as brick or concrete and away from dried leaves and firewood. If there are live embers or hot ashes inside the bucket, the heat could ignite anything combustible nearby.
Wait at least three days to throw your ashes away.
While you can always pour a bit of water inside the bucket to put out any live embers, it is best to wait three days before you place the ashes in your trash. If you have a garden, you can also sprinkle the ashes over your garden beds as well as work the ashes into your compost pile.
For more safety tips on maintaining your fireplace, contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps. We are more than happy to provide you with the best ways to safely enjoy your fireplace.
by Mike O'Mara | Dec 29, 2015 | Waterproofing
Here in the San Diego area, talk of the coming El Nino is a very hot topic. Since this weather event will bring more rain to our area, it is very important to be sure your chimney is in good condition. Even a small chimney leak can lead to major problems when heavy rains are in the forecast. At Weststar Chimney Sweeps, we take chimney leaks seriously for good reasons. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) claims that water is the biggest enemy of masonry chimneys because of the amount of damage it can do. Water penetration can deteriorate your chimney so badly that it could be in danger of collapsing. This is why it is essential to ensure your chimney has no leaks before the arrival of El Nino. We would like to tell you more about the signs and causes of chimney leaks as well as a preventive service we provide to keep water from leaking into your chimney.
What are the signs of a chimney leak?
Sure signs of chimney leaks include peeling wallpaper, stains on the walls and ceilings, and dampness near your fireplace. You might even notice water standing in the bottom of your fireplace or stove. You can also see signs of chimney leaks on the exterior of your chimney. Cracked, broken, and missing bricks and pieces of mortar are the result of the damage of water penetration of your chimney. You may also notice rusting on your chimney cap and this also means water is leaking into your chimney.
What are the reasons behind chimney leaks?
Different things can cause chimney leaks. Most commonly, Weststar Chimney Sweeps finds chimney leaks that are caused by missing or damaged chimney caps. Cracked chimney crowns also lead to water penetration of a chimney. We have also found chimney leaks caused by damaged flashing systems and deteriorated bricks and mortar on the chimney structure. All of these problems can be solved by our CSIA-certified chimney technicians. We can install a new chimney cap to keep water, birds, and animals out of the chimney or repair cracks in chimney crowns. We can also repair damaged flashing and repoint bricks and mortar to replace the missing masonry materials.
How can Weststar Chimney Sweeps protect my chimney from water leaks?
We offer waterproofing services that can keep water from being absorbed into the bricks and mortar of your chimney. Using a formula that is 100% vapor permeable, we apply a layer of this formula to your entire chimney. Since this formula is vapor permeable, vapors and gases can still pass through the bricks and mortar and not become trapped within where they could cause even more damage. Waterproofing your chimney is an excellent way to prolong its life and to prevent water leaks from causing damage.
Ensure your chimney is in good condition before the arrival of El Nino. Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule a chimney inspection, especially if you have noticed the signs of water leaks.
by Mike O'Mara | Nov 17, 2015 | Uncategorized
If your chimney seems to have trouble moving smoke up and out of the chimney, call Weststar Chimney Sweeps
How do you know when you are having chimney draft problems? The most obvious sign is when smoke fills the room, but chimney draft issues can also cause problems with igniting a fire in the fireplace. Smoky, unpleasant odors coming from the fireplace when you are not using it can also let you know there is something wrong with the draft in your chimney. Draft is essential to making your chimney work efficiently because it pulls the byproducts of combustion out of your house through the chimney. When the draft is not working properly, your chimney is not functioning as safely as it should be. What causes chimney draft problems? Weststar Chimney Sweeps would like to answer this question by sharing some of the reasons for this issue.
THE FLUE IS TOO LARGE FOR YOUR HEATING APPLIANCE
If you have converted your old masonry fireplace into a more efficient heating system by installing a new fireplace insert in it, you may have chimney draft problems if the size of your flue is not properly matched to the insert. In order for draft to work correctly, your chimney needs to be hot, and, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), newer fireplace inserts use most of the heat they produce to heat your home, so the temperature within your chimney is much cooler. Because less heat is directed into your chimney from an insert, the flue must be matched exactly with the insert for it to function safely and properly. Not only does your chimney need draft to pull smoke and toxic gases from your house, but it also needs draft for the combustion process to be completed. Incomplete combustion can lead to a very hazardous situation: the production of carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas. Even worse, the carbon monoxide can easily be forced back into your living space when the chimney draft is not working correctly. To avoid this problem, you should always have a fireplace insert professionally installed. Our CSIA-certified chimney technicians at Weststar Chimney Sweeps can construct a new flue from a stainless steel chimney liner that will match the size of your new insert.
THE FLUE IS BLOCKED
If your flue is blocked by animal or bird nests, fallen bricks, leaves, or other debris, the blockage can interfere with the chimney draft. Air cannot sufficiently get through the blockage. Your flue can even become blocked by the buildup of soot and creosote, and it does not take much to reduce the diameter of the flue enough to cause chimney draft problems. Weststar Chimney Sweeps can inspect your chimney for blockages and remove the debris that is causing this issue. We will even check the mesh siding of your chimney cap to be sure it is not clogged as well.
NEGATIVE PRESSURE IS AFFECTING YOUR HOME
You may have weatherized your home by sealing up the windows and doors to keep heated and cooled air from escaping the house. Although this saves you money on your utility bills, your home could be sealed up too tightly, which creates negative pressure. Clothes dryers and exhaust fans can also cause negative pressurization. When your home is affected by negative pressure, it battles against the chimney draft and even pull smoke back down from the chimney. To solve draft problems caused by negative pressure, you can simply open a window in the room. Weststar Chimney Sweeps can also fix this problem by installing tight-fitting glass fireplace doors and effective gasketing.
Have you been dealing with smoky rooms and unpleasant odors from your fireplace? Contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to find out how we can help you solve your chimney draft problems.
