by Tom
Share
by Tom
Share
While professional chimney sweeps provide a valuable service, as a homeowner you can perform many of the same tasks as a chimney sweep and save significant amounts of money by doing so. Read on for three common chimney sweep services that you can do yourself.
DIY Chimney Maintenance Projects You Can Do
1. Install a chimney cap
Chimney sweeps commonly install chimney caps, but if you can get on your roof, you can install a chimney cap and save the expense of paying the sweep. Most caps fasten with just four screws, making installation extremely easy. And picking out the right cap for your chimney is just as easy with our Chimney Cap Easy Measure Guide. Our chimney caps are the same high quality caps chimney sweeps sell, but at much lower prices.
2. Inspect the exterior of your chimney for cracks
Over time masonry work will deteriorate and require periodic maintenance. Just like with chimney caps, if you can get on your roof, you can do this work yourself and save money.
Inspect the exterior brickwork and mortar joints for cracks and other damage. You’ll want to fix those cracks before they expand and go from a minor fix to a major problem. Mortar cracks up to 1/8” wide can be easily repaired with CrackMagik. CrackMagik keeps water out of cracks, preventing them from expanding, but allows internal moisture in the brickwork to escape.
3. Look for and repair chimney crown damage
A chimney sweep will also inspect the crown of your chimney for damage. Much like with cracks in mortar joints, cracks should be repaired to prevent any further damage.
FireplaceMall sells the same repair products many chimney sweeps use, and they are easy to apply, so you can save the cost of hiring a sweep by doing the work yourself. Use CrownCoat for small cracks and CrownSeal for larger cracks and even missing pieces of crown.
Professional chimney sweeps provide an important service by removing creosote from the lining of your chimney and inspecting the structure of the flue for damage. However, you can save significant amounts of money by doing much of the other work yourself.
5 Ways to Prevent Chimney Leaks A leaking pipe, a leaking roof, a leaking window, a leaking chimney – none of them is good. Here are 5 ways make your chimney leak-proof and prevent chimney leaks. See how to fix chimney leaks and prevent them in, through and around your chimney. #1 Way to Prevent Chimney Leaks: Install a […]
When is a headache, nausea, and fatigue not “just the flu” and, instead, carbon monoxide poisoning? And how can you prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home? Every year 20,000 Americans are treated in emergency rooms for carbon monoxide poisoning. But many of those at first thought they were dealing with a run-of-the-mill bug. Those […]
Will fireplace ashes melt ice or just improve traction on ice? Are there advantages or disadvantages to using ashes instead of rock salt or other chemicals on snow and ice? What are the pros and cons of other de-icers compared with using fireplace ashes on icy surfaces? Will Fireplace Ashes Melt Ice and Snow? Fireplace ashes primarily provide […]
Nothing can completely prevent a Christmas tree or fireplace greenery from burning. But you can reduce the flammability of your Christmas trees and mantel greenery with these homemade or purchased fire retardants. Fire retardants prevent fires from starting and spreading, reduce or eliminate harmful smoke, and minimize fire damage. Some are made specifically for Christmas trees and […]
We have a chimney with Brick damage due to a missing chimney cap and so our bricks and mortar will also have to be re-done. Does Fireplace Mall have any repair items like this??
Thanx
Raul
Hi Raul, thanks for your question.
It depends on how damaged your chimney is. Our product CrownSeal (more info here) can be applied up to 1 inch thick, so it can fill sizeable cracks and pieces of missing crown. However, the crown and chimney must be structurally sound to use CrownSeal. That is, if you have loose bricks or your crown is crumbling, you’ll need a mason to perform more extensive repairs.
After repairing your chimney and installing a chimney cap, consider waterproofing the chimney with ChimneySaver Water Repellent (click here for more info). It will repel rain, snow, etc, but also allows moisture inside the chimney to escape. Combined with a chimney cap, it will significantly lengthen the life of your masonry work.
Today “crown damage” is common problem in uk if i am not wrong… Tips of it will sure help me a lot. Thanks :)
You’ll definitely want to repair spalling bricks as quickly as possible, unfortunately if you see signs of cracking it’s already too late. Spalling is when moisture enters the brick due to a lack of mortar in the joints. As the water freezes and and thaws it causes cracks in the brick. If it goes untreated for too long then the brick may need to be removed and replaced.