Chimney Sweep vs Chimney Inspection

Chimney Sweeps in Glen Burnie, MD

Outstanding Customer Service and Chimney Services

ChimneyTek has years of experience providing chimney inspections and chimney sweeps to Glen Burnie, MD, and Anne Arundel, Howard, and Baltimore counties. For over 26 years, we have served our area relentlessly, ensuring our customers’ chimneys are safe and usable throughout the frigid winter months. We are a family-owned and -operated company, and we are licensed and insured to deliver full-service chimney solutions. At our company, we operate on the belief that our customers deserve not only the best service but the best brands as well. When it comes to chimneys, there’s no better place than ChimneyTek.

What Is the Difference Between A Sweep and Inspection?

Many people use chimney sweep and chimney inspections interchangeably, but they shouldn’t. There is a slight difference between the two – and understanding the distinction is crucial to fireplace ownership. For example, a chimney inspection focuses on the installation, condition, and structure of the chimney itself. Chimney sweeps focus on the interior of the chimney by cleaning the deposits that build up over time. You should have ChimneyTek perform both a sweep and inspection once a year because they are equally crucial to maintaining a safe and effective fireplace.

What To Expect From A Chimney Inspection

Chimney inspections come in three kinds. Which type we employ depends on the scope of the damage to your chimney. No matter which one we opt to do, you can trust ChimneyTek’s fully certified technicians to perform the task ably. The three kinds of chimney inspections are:

• Level One: Even those this is the most basic level of chimney inspections, it is still essential and can catch problems before they endanger the safety of those in your home. Our chimney technicians keep an eye out for a vast array of warning signs, including damaged mortar joints, rusted dampers or fireboxes, spalling chimney bricks, spalling flue tiles, cracked crowns, or damage to wallpaper.
• Level Two: A level two inspection is usually part of a real estate transaction. Home inspectors will traditionally pass along chimney and fireplace inspections to us because they do not have the resources to adequately inspect a chimney. During these inspections, we include everything in the level one process plus an inspection of all accessible areas.
• Level Three: Level three investigations occur when we discover the need to go into concealed or contained areas. For example, during a level three inspection, we might use a camera to inspect the inside of the chimney or get behind the walls surrounding the chimney to check for hazardous situations.

The Many Benefits Of Chimney Inspections

There are more than a few benefits of chimney inspections. First and foremost, these annual investigations of your fireplace, chimney, and all over components ensure that it is safe to use. These inspections will reduce fire hazards by quite a lot. Secondly, birds and small animals have been known to take refuge inside chimneys, and an inspection can root them out. Lastly, these processes help maintain structural integrity and avoid surprise repair bills.

What Happens During A Chimney Sweep

To protect your property and belongings, we place a tarp around the fireplace. From there, we evaluate and inspect the fireplace and the chimney itself. We then clean the chimney thoroughly by performing the following tasks. First, we remove the damper and clean the flue. We either do this from the roof or from the appliance opening, depending on what is possible. Next, we clean the fireplace smoke shelf and the smoke chamber. Once we have done so, our experts will clean the firebox by hand and remove all debris from the area. Lastly, we re-install the damper, remove the tarp, and clean any remnants of our time inside your house.

The Benefits of Chimney Sweeps

The benefits of hiring ChimneyTek to perform a chimney sweep are undeniable. While you can clean some parts of your chimney yourself, you require a professional with tools to do a thorough job. Hiring us to clean your chimney will provide you with the following outstanding benefits:

Cleaner Air: A working chimney is a finely-oiled machine. Each part works hand-in-hand to pull smoke from your home. However, when the chimney is backed up with soot and gunk, it cannot do its job effectively. The vast majority of homeowners lack the tools they need to get the job done themselves.

Carbon Monoxide: Carbon monoxide is an odorless chemical that is extremely dangerous to humans and pets alike. Fires can emit potentially lethal levels of carbon monoxide, so it is crucial to sweep the chimney to ensure smoke exits the house.

Prolonged Chimney Life: The less gunk and soot that accumulates in your chimney, the likelier it is to last the 15 to 50 years it should require replacement or restoration. Cleaning the chimney once a year is an excellent way to ensure the chimney lasts as long as it should.

Contact ChimneyTek For a Chimney Inspection Or Sweep

At ChimneyTek, we have everything you need to enjoy your chimney year-round. Now that you understand the differences between chimney inspections and sweeps, you can begin to determine whether it is time to contact us for either or both services.