The temperatures are dropping and winter is approaching, so many of you are in the market for firewood to get you through the winter. When buying firewood however, consider the following advice from the Chimney Safety Institute of America when selecting the firewood you plan on burning.

All firewood contains water. Freshly cut wood can be up to 45% water, while well seasoned firewood generally has a 20-25% moisture content. Well seasoned firewood is easier to start, produces more heat and burns cleaner. The important thing to remember is that the water must be gone before the wood will burn. Burning green firewood may also accelerate creosote build-up in your fireplace and chimney, as well as produce a smokey fire. Creosote is a leading cause of chimney fires and poses a serious threat to your home if it continues to build up and not removed.

There are a few things you can look for to see if the wood you intend to purchase is seasoned or not. Well seasoned firewood generally has darkened ends with cracks or splits visible and the wood will be relatively lighter compared to that of greener wood. Another indication that your wood is well-seasoned is that it may have bark that is peeling off.

Different types of wood produce different types of fires. Hardwoods, such as White Oak and Hard Maple will produce a steady, high heat fire, while softwoods, such as Cedar and White Spruce will ignite quickly and burn with a lower heat intensity.

Whatever type of firewood you choose, it's important to get your annual chimney inspection done before you burn, so call Guaranteed Chimney of Westchester for all of your chimney needs today!

Your chimney liner is an important part of the fireplace and should be inspected regularly and repaired as needed.

Your chimney liner serves three purposes:

1. Protects house from heat transfer to combustibles.
2. Protects the masonry from corrosive byproducts of combustion.
3. Provide a correctly-sized flue for optimum use with appliance or fireplace.

When to Assess the Liner

If you have recently acquired a property with a fireplace and chimney, you should absolutely have it inspected before putting it to use. It is fairly common that older homes were not equipped with a chimney liner, or they were installed incorrectly. Given that, it’s vital that they’re inspected before use. Chimney Liners also become subject to moisture penetration and damage from freezing and thawing through the season. If your flue needs to be resized, or if you change the type of fuel you’re burning, your chimney and chimney liner needs to be inspected as well. Every appliance needs a specific size of flue liner for safe and efficient operation, and not every type of liner is recommended for all fuel combustion. Our experts will gladly discuss these options with you.

If You Need a New Liner

Replacing a chimney liner is a job for a professional. If one of our chimney sweep experts reports a problem with your flue liner, you should follow their recommendations to ensure the safety of your family, home or business. You don’t want to burn a fire in a liner that is damaged or the incorrect size for your appliance.

A professional chimney sweep can replace a chimney liner and get your chimney system back to full function in no time. At Chimney Company of Westchester, we offer a stainless steel liner as well as aluminum liners because they’re long-lasting, rust-resistant and compatible with all fuel types.

Remember that your chimney lining is vital to the fire safety of your home. Call a professional to inspect the liner and let you know your options for restoring the safety and efficiency of your chimney system.

Call 866-528-1324 or click here to request your appointment today!

If there has been a noticeable unpleasant odor in your home that seems to be coming from the fireplace and chimney, there are several things that could be the source. During the summer months, chimney odors are more common because of the constant use of your air conditioners. On top of that, weatherization techniques to keep the cooled air from escaping can cause negative pressure in your home. This said negative pressure can affect the draft in your chimney and push down air from the chimney into your home. This air can bring along terrible smelling chimney odors.

Creosote

If the unpleasant odor in your home smells like fresh asphalt or charcoal, the source of this smell is most likely creosote. When you burn wood in your fireplace, creosote gradually develops in the chimney during the condensation process that occurs as smoke exits the chimney. Creosote can quickly build up into large amounts, thus causing a multitude of problems. Easily the most dangerous problem is an exponentially higher risk of a chimney fire. The Chimney Safety Institute of American has issued a statement that creosote is the leading cause of chimney fires. Not only is creosote extremely flammable, but it also releases a very strong odor, that is worsened by heat and humidity. To reduce your risk of chimney fires by way of creosote build-up, call Guaranteed Chimney of Westchester today for an approved and certified chimney cleaning.

Water

Is the unpleasant odor musty? If so, you could have standing water on the smoke shelf and this could be the primary source of your chimney. Being vigilant in keeping water out of your chimney is crucial to the lifespan of your chimney and you need to have a chimney cap professionally installed on the top of the chimney to prevent water from constantly building up. Without a chimney cap, you could have leaves caught in the chimney, which only make the odor worse.

Dead Bird Or Wild Animal

It's an unfortunate reality, but several different types of animals do get caught in chimneys-especially if there is no chimney cap. If an animal is stuck or unfortunately dies in your chimney, you will definitely know that this is the source of the odor. A chimney cap not only prevents water damage to your chimney, but the mesh metal sides will stop animals from invading the flue. Guaranteed Chimney has a wide array of chimney caps that can be installed-based on budget and preference and once you have picked out your new cap, one of our experts will have it installed immediately to keep your chimney, your home and your family safe.

If your chimney is emitting any of these odors, please call Guaranteed Chimney of Westchester and remedy the problem immediately!

Chimney caps installed by our professionals at Guaranteed Chimney of Westchester are certainly an affordable installation and an installation we classify as necessary for your chimney. Every chimney needs a cap and without one your chimney is essentially a large hole that leads directly into your home. These caps protect your home from many hazards and also allow your fires to burn longer and extend the life of your chimney before needing repairs. Without proper capping, here are issues that may arise:

1. Loose Debris - A properly installed chimney cap will keep animals, leaves and all other debris in the area from falling into the chimney. If you do not have a chimney cap or one that needs repairing by one of our professionals, your chimney will be subject to leaves, sticks and even animals-which can lead to dangerous blockages.
2. House Fires - Don't have a chimney cap? What happens to the burning embers that rise from your fire and travel to the top of the chimney flue? Without a proper cap, these embers exit the top of the chimney and can land on your roof  as well as your neighbor's roofs and lead to serious fires.
3. Water Damage - The enemy more dangerous than animals and debris to chimneys without caps is in fact, water. Without a properly installed cap; ice, snow and rain will all fall down through the flue. This will lead to extensive damage within the interior of the chimney-which will be costly to fix, along with any other damages that resulted from the damaged chimney. When the water thaws and freezes, cracks in the chimney lining will begin to show. The chimney crown will become worn down and damages to your house will start to occur.
   

Types of Chimney Caps:

There are several types of chimney caps that our chimney experts at Guaranteed Chimney of Westchester can install for you. The most basic chimney caps will protect your home against weather damage-although we suggest you upgrade to a wind-resistant cap to prevent downdrafts into your home. A cap with protective screening to guard against animals intruding is also a good investment.

There are many different materials to choose from when having a cap installed as well. Galvanized steel rusts quicker than most materials, which causes all attachment screws to rust and and come loose with a strong wind. Aluminum caps, break down easily and can be damaged by animals. Given this plethora of knowledge, our experts suggest installing a stainless steel chimney cap as the maintenance on them is minimal and the look doesn't go out of style.

Save money down the road by having a chimney cap installed today!