Serving You in The Puget Sound Since 1979

M&H masonry contractors, experts in masonry building & restoration for your most valued investment.

Inspection

Or safety inspection. A chimney safety inspection consists of a visual inspection of all of its various parts both interior and exterior.

Upon inspection a qualified chimney sweep can inform a costumer of any needed repairs or likewise certify a chimneys clean bill of health.

  Chimney Cleaning

There are several methods of cleanings based upon what type of fireplace you have. The four most common fireplaces are the standard masonry fireplace, the zero clearance or prefabricated, the insert, and the wood stove.

With the exception to the prefab, most fireplaces and chimneys are cleaned from the outside in.

The technician will sweep the flue portion of the chimney first in order to clear any soot and debris. The debris will then typically fall behind the damper to the smoke shelf. From here the technician is obligated to clear any debris that exists on the smoke shelf (failures to do so will likely result in poor chimney ventilation and/or strong household odors).

Next, the technician will brush away any build up of soot on the firebox walls. When completed, your chimneys interior parts will be free of any accumulated soot build up.

The Prefab (Or Zero Clearance)

These are factory built fireplaces which are typically in many   Seattle apartments and are cleaned solely from inside the home at the opening. There are two major reasons for this. 1. The damper assemblies have poor closure systems. 2. Faster and higher concentration of soot accumulation.

It is the responsibility of the technician to effectively clean your chimney while leaving no trace that he or she has been there.

The Wood Insert

If your insert does not have a positive connect liner the insert will need to be removed from the opening for proper cleaning.          Many counties in Seattle and in the Puget Sound are now making it code to have a stainless steal chimney liner with your wood burning insert.

The Wood Stove

Most wood stoves are comprised of many parts. The stove itself usually has several insulation bricks, one or more air tubes, a cast iron baffles/shelf, and a stove pipe. After sweeping the stovepipe the technician must remove the insulation bricks in order to ensure proper cleaning of all parts.

Many wood stoves have exterior clean out chambers. Where the majority of the soot falls in the course of the stovepipe cleaning. An exterior cover plate is remove to access the accumulated soot.

  Chimney Caps

The chimney cap plays an essential role in the overall health of any chimney. When your chimney is not in use it's basically a large hole in your house. Unless protected by a chimney cap this large hole renders your home vulnerable to water and animal intrusion. When your chimney is in use, unless your chimney is protected by a chimney cap, your roof, as well as any neighboring trees can or will be subjected to sparks or burning embers. A Seattle home cane take on one hundred gallons a year without a chimney cap. A chimney cap is basically an insurance plan for your chimney.

  Keep Up On Your Chimney's Maintenance

 Like any other part of a home, your chimney requires a bit of extra attention from time to time. When it's working properly and allowing you to enjoy a roaring fire, it's easy to take a chimney for granted. However, when smoke starts spewing into the home, or when other problems occur, it is imperative to call in a chimney sweep as quickly as possible. Call The Seattle fireplace cleaning service that can help you; even if your chimney seems okay, if you haven't had a chimney sweep come out in some time then you should have a chimney inspection performed.

Get Your Chimney Cleaned ASAP

Most of us only use our chimneys during the cold Seattle winter months, and it's safe to say that nothing beats sitting by a crackling fire on a cold, wintry Seattle evening. Since it's not used year-round, many people forget to have a chimney sweep performed regularly on their chimney. Keeping up on chimney maintenance is important, though; failure to do so can cause a number of unpleasant problems for you. Make it a point to have a fireplace cleaning done periodically so that your chimney is always in usable form.

You may be wondering what some of the main problems associated with dirty chimneys are. They include:

• A buildup of a substance called creosote can occur on the walls of your chimney. A professional chimney sweep can remove this substance, which is a side effect of all of the smoke that passes through a chimney. If enough creosote builds up, smoke can be impeded and can even backup into the home.

• Even if a downdraft of smoke doesn't occur, going without a regular fireplace cleaning can cause a smoky smell to develop throughout the house. This can irritate peoples' noses, throats and eyes and can generally make a home an unpleasant place.

• When a chimney isn't clean, it's a hassle to make a fire. A chimney sweep can get your chimney spic and span so that you can make and enjoy a fire any time you'd like to, without having to worry about smoke-filled rooms or other issues.

• Having a chimney sweep come in on a fairly regular basis makes fireplace cleaning a lot less of an ordeal. A chimney that hasn't been cleaned in some time will require a lot more work, and a chimney sweep might even charge you extra money. Having a chimney inspection done can help you ward off problems and avoid major fireplace cleaning bills in the future.

  The Importance Of Chimney Caps

While having a chimney sweep and fireplace cleaning performed on a regular basis is important, there's another thing that you need to know about if you want to keep your fireplace and chimney in top form: chimney caps. Although they don't get a whole lot of attention, chimney caps are an integral part of a home; without them, all sorts of unpleasant problems can occur.

There's a small chance that you are unsure about what a chimney cap even is. Firstly, chimney caps help reduce the need for fireplace cleaning in general. They sit on the outside top of a chimney and keep debris - such as leaves and garbage - from being sucked into a chimney. At the same time, they help keep sparks from flying out of the chimney and possibly landing on your roof. As a part of a routine chimney inspection, your chimney sweep company should look over your chimney cap as well, in order to ensure that it is in good shape and that it's not blocked up.

If you're curious about why chimney caps are so vital, consider these points:

• Chimney caps help keep animals, including rodents, birds and even bats, out of your home. When a chimney doesn't have a cap, an animal as large as a raccoon can squeeze into the opening and gain access to a home. Unlike Santa Clause, these critters aren't going to leave goodies in their wake - they're going to wreak havoc on your home. A Seattle fireplace cleaning company can inspect your chimney cap to ensure that it is keeping critters out successfully.

• Another very important function of chimney caps is that they keep rainwater out. All too often during a chimney sweep, a fireplace cleaning professional notes the presence of crumbling, cracking or otherwise unstable brickwork. Many times, this damage is caused by rain getting into the chimney. A Seattle chimney inspection company can fit you out with a high quality chimney cap to keep this problem at bay. 
   
• One of the biggest fears that most Seattle homeowners have is an out of control fire that could injure or kill those inside, and destroy the entire home. Occasionally, sparks from a roaring fire can escape from the top of a chimney; every once in a while, they can land on the roof and might even trigger a fire. A Seattle chimney inspection company will tell you that chimney caps help prevent sparks from landing on your roof, which is another reason they are so very important.

   
  

    Areas We Service:

Auburn, Bothell, Bellevue, Burien, Everett, Federal Way, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Mercer Island, Monroe, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Snohomish, Woodinville, Seattle, Issaquah, Lynnwood

  Call A Seattle Area Chimney Inspection Company Today

No matter what time of year it may be, it's never a bad time to have a chimney sweep performed. A good fireplace cleaning during the spring, for instance, will ensure that your chimney and fireplace are ready for those cold Seattle winter nights. Look for a company that will handle everything for you should choose one that will do a chimney inspection, a fireplace cleaning and a chimney sweep with no hassle.

Ideally, the Seattle chimney sweep company that you hire should also do work on furnace chimneys. This year, be ready to face a cold Seattle winter night in style by having a fireplace cleaning completed by a professional chimney sweep company. You'll marvel at the difference that a good fireplace cleaning can make, and you're bound to find a Seattle company whose rates are reasonable.