CHIMNEY CLEANING in NEW ENGLAND
CERTIFIED CHIMNEY CLEANING SERVICE
Certified Chimney Inspections is New England’s #1 local chimney service for over 20 years. Hire our highly trained experts to clean your chimney professionally. We use proven methods and the latest trade-specific tools and technology to do the job right the first time.
We send 2 men to the home every time we perform a chimney cleaning service. One chimney technician goes on the roof with a chimney brush and sweeps down all the soot, while at the same time the technician at the base of the chimney has a high-powered vacuum sucking up all the soot and debris that falls down. This ensures a 100% mess-free chimney cleaning process.
With each chimney sweep job, we perform a detailed safety inspection to ensure the chimney is in good working order. In the event that any safety issues are discovered the customer is notified and given an estimate to repair.
Just because you don’t see anything wrong with your chimney from the outside, doesn’t mean nothing is wrong. Most safety issues associated with the chimney originate inside the flue (out of sight).
Wood burning fireplaces, inserts, and stoves should be cleaned annually or after each cord of wood burned, whichever comes first.
OIL BURNING FURNACE
Most people get their furnace cleaned and inspected on a regular basis, but they often neglect the chimney.
A common misconception is the furnace company handles the chimney for you.
Not True!
In reality, their responsibility ends with the furnace. Everything from the furnace up is handled by your chimney company. In order for your heating system to function safely your chimney must be cleaned and inspected annually.
Oil furnaces leave a thick, sooty residue in the flue, a neglected oil flue may result in a “puff back” which is an extremely messy and cost-intensive clean-up process.
Burning oil creates sulfur compounds, when the sulfur comes in contact with moisture an unstoppable chemical reaction initiates resulting in H₂SO₄ a.k.a. sulfuric acid (same process as acid rain). The sulfuric acid erodes the terra-cotta clay flues meant to contain the dangerous fumes from the inside out.
It doesn’t take long for the unstoppable chemical reaction to damage the chimney beyond the possibility of repair.
This damage is on the inside of the chimney and easily overlooked, “out of sight-out of mind.”
By the time the sulfur compounds are noticed it’s often to late for any cleaning or maintenance to be effective, and may warrant a costly repair or flue replacement.
This is one of many reasons why regular chimney inspections are so important.
Damaged or deteriorated areas can cause problems like puff backs, fires, and carbon monoxide poisoning, which is easily avoidable with a simple phone call to the experts at Certified Chimney.
GAS BURNING FURNACE
Gas burning furnaces are considerably cleaner than oil. This does NOT mean they need less maintenance.
The main byproducts of burning gas are carbon monoxide (CO) and water vapor (H2O). The more efficient the furnace the higher the CO + H2O content, thereby providing the most heat with the least fuel.
Traditional masonry chimney flues are not meant to accommodate these high levels of water vapor and will accelerate deterioration.
Carbon monoxide is tasteless and odorless. It causes flu-like symptoms such as headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Except high levels of CO can make you “pass out” or kill you.
If you heat your house with gas don’t assume your HVAC contractor will keep you safe. Call a Certified Chimney Inspector today.
The main byproducts of burning gas are carbon monoxide (CO) and water vapor (H2O). The more efficient the furnace the higher the CO + H2O content, thereby providing the most heat with the least fuel.
Traditional masonry chimney flues are not meant to accommodate these high levels of water vapor and will accelerate deterioration.
Carbon monoxide is tasteless and odorless. It causes flu-like symptoms such as headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Except high levels of CO can make you “pass out” or kill you.
If you heat your house with gas don’t assume your HVAC contractor will keep you safe. Call a Certified Chimney Inspector today.
WOOD STOVE
We perform a through cleaning on your wood stove and and all venting components. We use the latest advancements in technology and specialized tools in addition to a detailed 20-point fire and safety inspection (FREE w/cleaning) to achieve maximum safety, burn efficiently, and increase overall lifespan or the stove & chimney. We clean the inside of the stove, ashtray (if applicable), pipe connecting stove to the chimney, flue, cleanout.
Not all wood burning stoves are the same any more. Nowadays most manufacturers have implemented reburning technologies. Most employ a catalytic converter (similar to the exhaust on a car). These technologies reburn the smoke, normally emitted into the atmosphere. Thereby reducing their carbon emissions, increase efficiency, and reducing the amount of fuel needed.
It is important to know catalytic converters have a shorter lifespan that the main wood burning unit itself. Therefore they need to be replaced, every 10 years on average.
In most cases the manufacturer will only sell replacement parts to a qualified serviceperson whom is trained and registered to properly install these replacement parts. Improper installation of any part can lead to dangerous and deadly outcomes.
Any changes to a wood burning unit or its venting system are done by a person(s) not certified by the manufacturer or the authority having jurisdiction, any and all resulting damages will not be covered by insurance.
Certified Chimney has a stove and fireplace division (Off The Grid) registered with several manufacturers.
Ask our customer service representatives for more information when you call today.
Not all wood burning stoves are the same any more. Nowadays most manufacturers have implemented reburning technologies. Most employ a catalytic converter (similar to the exhaust on a car). These technologies reburn the smoke, normally emitted into the atmosphere. Thereby reducing their carbon emissions, increase efficiency, and reducing the amount of fuel needed.
It is important to know catalytic converters have a shorter lifespan that the main wood burning unit itself. Therefore they need to be replaced, every 10 years on average.
In most cases the manufacturer will only sell replacement parts to a qualified serviceperson whom is trained and registered to properly install these replacement parts. Improper installation of any part can lead to dangerous and deadly outcomes.
Any changes to a wood burning unit or its venting system are done by a person(s) not certified by the manufacturer or the authority having jurisdiction, any and all resulting damages will not be covered by insurance.
Certified Chimney has a stove and fireplace division (Off The Grid) registered with several manufacturers.
Ask our customer service representatives for more information when you call today.
Creosote
Burning wood creates creosote build-up. There are 3 stages of creosote. Stage 1 and 2 are easily removed with conventional chimney cleaning methods, on the other hand, 3rd stage is not.
3rd stage creosote is more of a glazed residue of unburnt fuel and it can NOT be removed with traditional chimney sweeping methods, It is extremely flammable, and the #1 cause of chimney fires in the US today.
The most common causes of dangerous 3rd stage creosote are:
- Improper chimney design
- Poor Draft
- Wet or un-seasoned wood
- Soft wood- like maple or pine
Gas Stoves & Fireplaces
Gas burning stoves and fireplaces require little to no cleaning or maintenance. If your gas unit is not functioning properly call a qualified and registered repairperson registered with the manufacturer of the model in need of repair.
At this time Certified only services, maintains, and repairs units specifically purchased AND installed by Certified Chimney or Off The Grid Stove & Fireplace.
At this time Certified only services, maintains, and repairs units specifically purchased AND installed by Certified Chimney or Off The Grid Stove & Fireplace.
