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explorerchimneyrepair · 8 years ago

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Chimney Cleaning Wolverine Lake MI

Best Chimney Cleaning Near Wolverine Lake

Welcome to Wolverine Lake Chimney Cleaning! We are the best fireplace service and chimney repair center in the Wolverine Lake area. We service all of our customer’s Chimney Cleaning and maintenance issues in both the metro area and all surrounding Oakland County Michigan suburbs. We aren’t just blowing smoke when we say we are the top rated Chimney Cleaning in Wolverine Lake Michigan. We have certified technicians ready to handle your chimney needs.

We provide Chimney Cleaning near Wolverine Lake and so much more!

Chimney Cleaning

Chimney Inspections

Chimney Repair

Chimney Covers

Chimney Flue Liners

Tuckpointing

Chimney Pots

Exhausto Chimney Fans

Fireplace Cleaning

Fireplace Inspections

Fireplace Damper

Fireplace Repair

Firebox Repair

Full Fireplace Restoration

Brick Repair

Customer Fireplaces

How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Leak In The Roof?

In many cases the damage of a chimney is so substantial that tuckpointing will not work. When this happens a chimney, and/or fireplace, rebuild is necessary. As a result of direct exposure to all aspects of weather (especially freeze-thaw cycles), the mortar that keeps the bricks held together will crack, allowing water entry. The brickwork is porous and becomes saturated. This creates the framework of the brick to degrade, which causes a safety concern for the chimney and for your home.

Improving the status of your home and general maintenance is never easy and will cost you valuable time and money. It not only starts with keeping furniture clean, but also ensuring the house chimney is clean and well swept. A chimney sweep can guarantee satisfying flow of gases or smoke to the atmosphere. A layer of dangerous gases is usually formed on the chimney from burning wood and it requires a good hand of a professional to sweep it to desired status. To enjoy the luxury of a fireplace, you need to look for the best chimney services.

Searching for the best chimney sweep is not a daunting task these days. A quick search on the internet can lead you to the outstanding chimney cleaning services. You cannot underestimate the significance of a clean chimney and this luxury can only be guaranteed if you rely on the best chimney repairs. Booking an appointment with the best chimney sweep service provider can guarantee improved efficiency of your chimney. As you seek best chimney services, keep in mind chimney sweep can enhance safety in your home. Unclean chimneys have ash and soot that impair their efficiency to filter smoke and gases out of the house. With the best chimney sweep, you rest assured of extensive working life of your chimney and fireplace.

Chimney Waterproofing? According to the Brick Industry Association, chimneys require special attention and maintenance to prevent costly damage caused by water penetration. Because chimneys project above the roof line, they are vulnerable to the elements. Nearly every chimney you encounter has signs of water damage! The first step is to determine the cause and then find the best corrective measures. Chimney Saver, the first product developed specifically for chimneys, has been used successfully by leading chimney professionals for nearly 20 years. It reduces water penetration into the masonry by 99.9%, according to ASTM tests conducted at the University of Wyoming. It’s also 100% vapor permeable, which means it won’t trap water vapors that may pass through the bricks when the chimney is in use, unlike other products found in most hardware or home improvement stores. Those products when applied to a masonry chimney can actually slow down water vapors as they pass through the chimney leading to water damage. Whether to use Water-Base or Solvent-base? Chimney Saver is available in both solvent (mineral spirits) and water-based formulas. The water-based formula is most popular, however, if a water repellent has previously been applied to the masonry, we recommend the solvent-based formula. Moisture from a variety of sources is always present in masonry and concrete. Sealers and silicone coatings form a water resistant surface film which trap water vapors inside. If these vapors cannot escape, they will contribute to spalling, scaling, deterioration, and freeze-thaw damage. Chimney Saver is 100% vapor permeable – a non film-forming water repellent that penetrates and lines masonry pores.

Q: What is ChimneySaver? ChimneySaver is a concentration of a proprietary modified polysiloxane which was specifically designed for chimneys. ChimneySaver is the leading water repellent addressing the vapor permeable needs of chimneys and the severe weather conditions to which they are exposed. Q: What is the difference between ChimneySaver and other water repellents? Since ChimneySaver is a photo-reactive chemical that does not depend on solids to achieve a water repellent effect, the surface remains vapor permeable. ChimneySaver is composed of 100% active ingredients which physically and chemically react with a surface. After a treated masonry surface has been exposed to ultraviolet light, the electrostatic charge reverses to match the electrostatic charge of water. This photo-reactive process allows the treated surface to repel water similar to the way two identical poles of a magent repel each other. Most waterproofing agents are actually water sealers, whcih trap water vapors produced inside the chimney. If this water vapor cannot escape it will condense, freeze and accelerate freeze/thaw damage. Our water repellent does not evaporate or wash out and it consistently outperforms and outlives resins, silicones, acrylics, silanes and siloxanes.

Reputable Chimney Liner Installation

A chimney and fireplace are essential parts of your home. They add warmth and character to your home. To use your fireplace efficiently, you have to make sure that the chimney is properly maintained and in the best shape. For the operating system of your chimney to work commendably, the chimney lining should also be perfect or in the best state. Chimney liner of a fireplace is one of the vital components of its operating system and it is designed to safely expel hot flue gases into the outside atmosphere. And so, it should be properly cleaned and maintained.

Chimney liners should always be properly fitted to ensure dangerous gases a properly emitted to the exterior atmosphere. If the chimney lining is too large, smoke will travel slowly up the chimney leading to large amounts of creosote forming on the liner, and this may lead to chimney fires. Homeowners have to invest abundantly on their fireplaces and more so chimneys. There is a lot of responsibilities that come with installing a chimney into your home. Even with regular chimney cleaning and maintenance, there are common chimney problems that you should know.

Chimney blockage is one of the common chimney related problems. Flue blockage is caused by obstruction of the chimney draft. If your chimney does not have the right height, it can prevent smoke emission to the outside atmosphere and this will draw more smoke into the house. Chimney blockage is harmful to the health of the house occupants as it leads to spread of hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide into the house. If you are experiencing such problems in your home, it is advisable to seek help from a reputed chimney lining company.

There are two common rebuilds of a chimney: partial and full. Partial chimney rebuilds are mostly done above the roof or the top few courses of a chimney, which generally also requires a new crown. Full chimney rebuilds consist of completely rebuilding the fireplace and chimney. This service consists of demolishing the outer layer of brick on a chimney system and adding a new crown. With a full rebuild, the firebox, smoke chamber, and hearth do not typically have to be replaced. Chimney rebuilds are required when the chimney is leaning, has extensive masonry damage,or vertical cracking has occurred.

The flashing area needs special attention. Traditional flashing, which 99.9% of all of us have, is not actually so great. I’m sure traditional in-the-mortar-joint-flashing was a huge improvement over whatever was before it a hundred years ago, but don’t imagine it keeps water out the way you wish it did. There are terrific flashing products which, in my opinion, are sadly underused. Flash Seal and Flash Tight (once again, Saver Systems and WaterTight products) are high-resin coatings specifically for this purpose. To waterproof the flashing really well, ask for one of these products. Your sweep may or may not even know what you’re talking about, but don’t hold that against him. In this case you’ll be educating him. As I said, they are still under-appreciated products at this point. Now for the big one: the mortar. Since most leaking occurs at the joints, you want to be extra sure you soak them real well with the waterproofing. You should know that as a rule mortar joints are often not as well bonded as you might think they are, and there are actually small cracks in the mortar (usually not visible though.) The joints themselves have different properties on different chimneys depending upon whether mortar cement or Portland cement was used, not to mention the particle size of the sand used and the pH of the water that was mixed to make the mortar.

Best Rated Chimney Saver Crown Coat

Steps

1. Before starting working on a chimney, make certain that the fire has long burned out.

2. The first thing you need to do is to measure the interior diameter of the metal or prefabricated chimney by removing the chimney cap with measuring tape. In case you have masonry chimney design, gauge the length and width of the flue liner. Take a moderate length chimney brush according to the calculated measures. The brush should neither be too small nor too large.

3. Stiff bristled brush and rods are ideal for chimney cleaning. These are easily available at any hardware stores.

4. To prevent ash or soot escaping into the room, use duct tape or masking tape to attach the cloth or sheet to the fireplace opening.

5. Change your clothes and climb up to the roof top. Don't forget to keep your chimney rods, flashlight and brush with you before climbing on the roof. Wear goggles and breathing mask as well.

6. If your chimney contains cap, remove it and clean it with the brush.

7. Attach few rods with brush and put it inside the chimney. Keep adding rods until you feel that the brush is touching the damper assembly.

8. Now you are ready to clean the flue. Move brush in up and down direction and scrape it against the walls of the chimney. Remove all the creosote (in form of ash, soot or as black shiny hardened gaze or a black crunchy substance).

9. Clean the whole length of the chimney in the same way. Afterwards take a flashlight and examine the chimney for any signs of creosote.

10. If you find chimney clean from the top side, come down and proceed to clean the chimney from inside the home. Remove the sheet or cloth you attach before. Keep a drop cloth on the site where your will have to work. Clean the damper assembly and the side walls of the chimney with brush. Examine any remaining of the creosote with flashlight.

11. Now clean the surrounding of the fireplace with vacuum or simply sweep it with broom. Remove the drop cloth carefully. Now is the time to rub your equipment clean from creosote. Remove your goggles and breathing mask. Place the equipment at its storage place for future cleaning.

12. Don't forget to inspect your chimney for any damage signs while cleaning process. If you find any, consult professionals.

13. If mortar is loose or damage, clear it and apply new mortar on the surface. Cracks can also be filled with mortar. It is recommended to use weather resistant mortar to give long life to your chimney.

14. Inspect the flashing seals for any damage. Use caulk to prevent any leakage, especially at the joints between chimney and flashing.

Precautions

- Always use breathing mask and eye safety goggles while working on chimney. - Be careful about the surroundings while working on the roof top.

Why Do You Need To Tuckpoint?

Sealing Brick Chimney- Since about 99% of the people reading this have brick chimneys, let’s start there (I will address non-brick chimneys later). One of the central issues concerning waterproofing is the porosity of the material being waterproofed. This makes sense: you don’t have to waterproof steel or vinyl because water doesn’t penetrate them in the first place. While bricks are generally less porous than many other materials (like a cinder block) different types of bricks vary in porosity themselves. This explanation is to set the stage for understanding that sometimes you have to waterproof a chimney more than once. You should know this too: though we don’t like to admit it, the fact is that sometimes professionals misjudge how much waterproofing a chimney needs and wind up coming back when they get a complaint. We sure don’t like that, nor do we like people being dissatisfied with our work, but where waterproofing is concerned, it seems to be a fact of life. Moral of that story is 1) ask your waterproofer to go over it twice just for good measure (even if it costs a bit more) and 2) don’t be too tough on your guy if you have to call him back. I thank you on behalf of all the guys who ever get caught in that squeeze! And please look below for special information concerning re-applications. A last item before moving onto specific information: If you have spalling brick, i.e. the faces of the brick are popping off, don’t bother to waterproof the chimney; it’s too late. Instead kick yourself for not having done it ten years ago and have the brick structure rebuilt. Then waterproof it so it doesn’t happen again.

Cracked Chimney Liner

How long does chimney waterproofing last? Before moving on, let me answer another FAQ. The question is how long does chimney waterproofing last? Answer is, as a general statement, probably about 20 years for most people. If you have the wind blowing sand at your chimney a lot, perhaps in the desert or by the sea, the brick surface can wear away, but most people don’t have that. There are guarantees, generally about 10 years. When those guarantees were instituted they were basically guesses from studies done in wind tunnels and freeze-thaw cycles. After a lot of years of observation, 20 years seems to be a generally good answer. Having it redone every 10-15 years is reasonable maintenance. What is the difference between beading and repelling water? A related subject: there’s a difference between “beading” and repelling water. Right after anything is waterproofed, there is a very satisfying effect called beading. This is where you see beads of water just sitting on the surface, kind of like seeing water sitting on oil. As neat as it is to see, at effect is temporary. I don’t know why, but the fact remains that waterproofing remains effective for many, many years beyond the beading effect is gone.

Oakland County Chimney Cleaning

from Explorer Building Group http://www.explorerbuildinggroup.com/oakland-county/wolverine-lake-chimney-cleaning/

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