It's Spring Cleaning Time!

It's Spring Cleaning Time!

 Chimney Sweeping should be done in the Spring!

It's that time of year again - when chimneys serving fireplaces, wood stoves, or woodstove inserts should be swept to remove flammable creosote. Why not wait until Fall? For several reasons:

• Summer heat and moisture make soot in the flue smell bad

• Creosote is acidic, and it eats away at mortar in the flues of masonry chimneys.

• Fall is a busy time for chimney sweeps, so make it easy and do it now!

This type of service should be completed by a professional chimney sweep who knows how to do the job right and inspect the chimney after sweeping to assure that it is in good working order. Inexperienced persons do not have the training to do this job correctly. 

While at your home, ask your chimney sweep to inspect gas flues as well. Flues serving furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and gas logs or gas inserts also need to be inspected annually. Flues with damages or clogs can cause deadly Carbon Monoxide to back up into the home. 

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It's time to have your dryer vent cleaned!

Did you know that only 25% of lint is trapped in the lint filter? The rest is in your dryer vent, dryer, and connecting pipe!

There are over 45,000 house fires annually due to dirty dryer vents!

LINT IS FLAMMABLE!

If your dryer is not working properly, it is a sign that the vent and pipe need to be cleaned. This job should be done by a professional. 

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If you live in the greater Kansas City area, contact Hearthmasters at www.chimkc.com. 

Otherwise, do an internet search for professionals in your area. 

Everyone Needs a Wood-burning Heating Appliance for Emergency Heating

Every household needs an alternative method of heating for when the power goes out. Believe me, as one who has gone through this it is no fun when you are freezing in your house because the electricity went out for days. During an ice storm in Kansas City a few years ago some people had no power for two weeks. Besides being extremely uncomfortable, pipes will freeze and leak as well, which no one wants to experience. 

Gas furnaces need fans to work, so that is not an option. Gas heating stoves are an option - as long as gas is available. However, there is one tried and true heating method that has been around for thousands of years and that is cordwood. 

Cordwood can be obtained by purchasing it, or better yet, if you have your own property with lots of timber you may harvest your own. There is a third option for obtaining wood and that is that you may harvest up to three cords of wood per season from National Parks. A fourth option is to check Craigslist for fallen wood that people want to be cleaned up at no charge. 

Hampton wood-burning fireplace insert by Regency

Why Wood? 

•  Wood-burning stoves and inserts work without the use of electricity or fans (unlike gas furnaces or pellet stoves). Fans are optional and are good to use to distribute heat when electricity is available. 
•  Wood stoves and inserts produce TWICE the amount of heat (BTU's) than gas stoves or inserts!
•  Fuel is readily available either by using your own trees on site or purchasing through a firewood dealer.
•  No electricity is needed for a wood stove or insert to work! In case of emergency when the power is out you'll be able to stay in your home instead of going to stay with friends or family or going to a hotel.
•  With a freestanding stove you can cook on the top if needed.

Freestanding wood stove by Hampton

Emergency heating is not the only reason to burn wood. Use a wood-burning stove during fall and winter as a supplemental heating source to save money and provide a more comfortable, even heat. Radiant heat from a wood stove or masonry heater has more health benefits than a gas furnace or electric baseboard heater.

Good quality wood stoves aren't inexpensive - but they are worth the investment. A good stove will last many years. Note: beware of box store wood stoves that have thin metal, no warranty, and may burn out after a few seasons. 

New wood-burning stoves and inserts are 75%+ efficient which means that most of the heat is staying in your house rather than going up the flue as with a standard open fireplace. 

Tax Credit: 

Certain appliances qualify for the $2,000 tax credit in 2024 and beyond. Be sure to ask your wood stove dealer or chimney sweep about this. 

2,000 Year Old Painting of a Pizza Proves the Italians Created This Dish!

 

According to the BBC, the recently discovered fresco emerged on a partially destroyed wall within a Pompeii residence's corridor.

Researchers exploring the preserved Roman city of Pompeii have discovered an artwork that potentially shows an early version of what would become Italy's famous pizza.

Photo: Italian Ministry of Culture

The circular bread shown in the ancient fresco "could represent an early predecessor of today's popular dish," according to Italian heritage officials. However, it lacks the traditional toppings required to classify it as a true pizza.

The artwork was discovered in a residence's entrance hall adjacent to a bakery during current excavations at the southern Italian site. The find occurred this year during ongoing exploration of Regio IX, one of nine sectors comprising the historic settlement.

The structure had undergone partial excavation during the 1800s before work resumed in January this year—approximately two millennia after the volcanic disaster that consumed the city.

Experts at the Unesco-listed archaeological park indicate the newly-revealed fresco showing the bread, depicted alongside a chalice of wine, suggests it may have been consumed with fruits like pomegranates or dates, or enhanced with herbs and a primitive pesto preparation.

Site director Gabriel Zuchtriegel noted the artwork's portrayal of the contrast between "modest, basic fare" and "ornate silver platters." "It's impossible not to draw parallels with pizza, which similarly originated as humble fare in Italy's south before achieving global popularity and earning a place in fine dining establishments," he remarked.

Additionally, researchers recently discovered three human remains near the kitchen area's furnace within the building's service section, officials reported.

The Vesuvius volcanic catastrophe in AD 79 preserved Pompeii under volcanic debris, effectively freezing the city and its inhabitants in time. Since its 16th-century discovery, the location has provided invaluable archaeological insights.

The archaeological park lies approximately 23 km (14 miles) from Naples—the contemporary birthplace of the Unesco-recognized Italian pizza.

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Margie Padgitt is a 40-year veteran chimney business owner, author, and filmmaker living in Kansas City, Missouri. Contact: margepadgitt@gmail.com 

Safety Tips for the Holidays

 Tip #1: Inspections. Some people use their fireplaces year-round and others only build a fire during the holidays - but it is important to have the chimney inspected and cleaned if necessary no matter how much the fireplace is used. This is because things can happen during the year to make fire hazards such as birds or squirrels building flammable nests, masonry deterioration, unseen blockages, etc.

Tip #2: Stockings. In the photo above we see just two stockings hanging above the fireplace, but they are still too close to the fire. Stockings are a fire hazard, so please remove them before building a fire in the fireplace. Also keep all flammable items at least 36" away from the fireplace opening, whether it is wood or gas burning.

Tip #3: Don't Burn Dry Christmas Trees. If you're using a real tree this year, it will dry out by the time January 1 rolls around. Dry pine is the most flammable type of wood but a Christmas tree is the most dangerous. Check YouTube to see some crazy people put their trees into their fireplaces and see them start chimney fires and watch flames shooting out the top of the chimney. Not a good idea. Instead, cut the tree into very small pieces and use them for fire starter throughout the winter.

Tip #4: Don't Burn Wrapping Paper. Keep the pretty wrapping paper out of the fireplace because when it burns it releases toxic fumes. Any paper that has color on it will produce toxins, and that includes magazines, brochures, flyers, etc. As a rule of thumb, only burn cordwood in a fireplace. If you have gas logs, don't put anything in the fireplace.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

Smoking Fireplaces and Negative House Pressure Problems

Many homes have negative pressure problems—this is common when homes are tightly insulated

or in large or multi-story houses. Not enough make-up air can get in the house for all of the things that need air, like fireplaces, wood stoves, gas ranges, furnaces water heaters — and people.

Fireplaces can smoke or smell when a second fireplace is used or when a furnace kicks on. This is because the furnace or fireplace needs air for combustion, and takes it from the place of least resistance which is often a fireplace. This is a house problem—not a chimney problem.

When an exhaust fan is used in the kitchen or bath, or the furnace is used, this makes the problem worse because air is being removed from the home.  You may notice cold air drafts coming from fireplaces, fireplaces that smoke, Carbon Monoxide backup from the furnace, gas fireplace, or hot water heater, or leaky doors and windows. These are all symptoms of negative pressure in the house. Sometimes unexplained illness and flu-like symptoms can be an indication of negative house pressure.

Carbon Monoxide is a serious and widespread problem and CO detectors only measure 9 ppm over 10 minutes before the alarm goes off. This means that the household could be exposed to low levels of CO, which is known to cause permanent brain damage or illness. 

Note: All homes need a CO detector on each level! 

Smoking Fireplaces are usually caused by a lack of combustion air and a negative air pressure problem in the house. Fireplaces and stoves on lower levels of the home often perform poorly since they are in the negative pressure plane. In some cases, an induced draft system may also be needed. 

Symptoms of Negative House Pressure: 

· Poor indoor air quality

· Smoking fireplaces and wood stoves

· Unexplained illness that stops when you leave the house

· Carbon Monoxide backup from gas furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, or stoves

· Mold and mildew in the house

· Leaking doors, windows, can lights, etc.

· Cold downdrafts in fireplaces

Fireplace Test:

· Place tissue paper, a newspaper page cut into strips, or a piece of saran wrap across the front opening of the fireplace and secure it at the top with tape.

· Open the damper

· Watch the paper—if it goes in toward the fireplace draft is good and there is no negative pressure

· If the paper goes out towards the room, a down-draft is occurring and this is an indication of negative house pressure on the floor where the fireplace is located.

· Slowly open a window in the room and watch the paper, it should reverse and go in towards the fireplace—this is positive indication that there is a negative pressure problem.

If you are experiencing any of the above issues call a professional chimney sweep or HVAC company to diagnose the problem and offer a solution. 

Solutions may include the addition of an outside air door for the fireplace or room, the installation of a draft inducer on a wood-burning stove, or the installation of a whole-house ventilator. 

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Marge Padgitt is the president of HearthMasters, Inc. in Independence, MO. She is a writer, publisher and speaker.  Contact her at margepadgitt@gmail.com. 

How to Avoid Chimney Fires

 

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, an estimated 32,200 home heating fires were reported to fire departments within the United States. These fires caused an estimated 190 deaths, 625 injuries and $442 million in property loss.  Home heating fires account for 500 deaths per year.

There are over 25,000 chimney fires in the U.S. annually, and three out of 10 house fires (44,000) are related to heating appliances. For this reason alone, it is important to keep chimneys maintained, but performance problems can also arise that are not related to hostile fires.

Note: A "Friendly Fire" is one that is intended such as a fire in the fireplace or a candle burning. It becomes a "Hostile Fire" when it reaches beyond its intended location.

ALL OF THESE FIRES ARE PREVENTABLE

It is important to remember that ALL wood creates creosote, even hardwoods. The creosote must be removed by brushing with a special wire chimney brush for tile flue liners, or a poly brush for stainless steel flue liners or metal chimney pipe. The wrong type of brush can damage metal liners.

Chimneys should be swept when there is 1/8" or more of creosote on the flue walls. This is difficult to see, so another rule of thumb is to have the chimney swept annually for open fireplaces or at least twice seasonally for inserts or freestanding stoves.

How to prevent chimney fires

• Have the chimney swept regularly by a professional chimney sweep, who will also inspect the chimney to be sure it is in good working order.
• Use only dry wood (check with a moisture meter) that has been seasoned for a minimum of 6 months.
• Never burn dry Christmas trees, wrapping paper, or newspaper as these items often cause fires.
• The use of a "Chimney sweeping log" may result in a chimney fire since it detaches creosote from the flue walls and brings it closer to the fireplace, but does not remove the creosote.
• Use inserts and freestanding wood-burning stoves according to the manufacturer's instructions by leaving the door closed during burning, and regulating air intake so it does not overfire the stove. Overheating can ignite creosote in the pipe or flue without direct flame.

Most chimney fires are not detected by the homeowner

Chimney fire damage is usually detected by a chimney sweep during sweeping and inspection. Telltale signs are broken flue liners, blown out mortar joints, buckled metal liners or pipe, white hot spots, and burnt honeycomb creosote. There may also be expansion breaks in masonry. With this in mind, we estimate that there are 10 times the official reported totals!

While there are chimney fire signs to watch out for such as a loud wooshing or freight train sound and flames shooting out the top of the chimney, chimney fires are usually of short duration and not noticed while people are out of the room.

Damaged chimney flue liners can allow Carbon Monoxide, creosote, and smoke to escape into the area outside the liner and possibly into the house, making a damaged chimney a potential hazard. This is why it is so important to have regular inspections completed.

For more information visit www.chimkc.com

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Marge Padgit is a veteran chimney contractor, writer, and podcast host. Contact her at margepadgitt@gmail.com

Water is a Masonry Chimney’s Worst Enemy

Brick and stone are used in construction because of their aesthetic and durability, however, these materials, along with mortar, are susceptible to water damage and need to be maintained to prevent failure.  Since restoration or reconstruction is costly, it is important to keep a watchful eye on any chimneys in a home.

Bricks, stones, and mortar all absorb rainwater to some degree based on their density and hardness. Some of these masonry materials, such as soft-type brick, absorb and retain water more easily than hard-type brick. Unfortunately, many builders use soft brick since the cost is lower, and problems usually won’t show up for several years after a structure has been built and they are long gone.

Spalling bricks and missing mortar due to water penetration

All types of masonry should be treated with a professional water-repellant sealer every two to five years. The sealer will reduce penetration of water into the masonry by causing the water to bead up. This process alone can save homeowners thousands of dollars. Without water repellant, the masonry will absorb moisture, go through freeze/thaw cycles, and at some point will begin to spall (faces pop off). In severe cases, mortar is washed out and bricks may fall out.

The next area of concern is the cement cap, otherwise known as a wash, splay, or crown. The cement cap acts as a roof for a chimney, and if properly built will shed water away from the top portion of the chimney rather than directing rainwater onto the masonry. This area is the most common space to find damage to the masonry since most cement caps are not built properly and to International Residential Code requirements. The IRC requires a 4” thick cap with a 2” drip edge and drip channel, with bond breaks around the flue tiles to allow for expansion. A properly built cap will last for many years and will help protect the masonry below it.

Finally, faulty flashing is often a source of leaking into the attic or other floors of the home. If water damage is found next to a chimney at the ceiling area, suspect the flashing as the first place to look. Gaps or missing pieces of flashing, or unsealed areas will likely be areas of concern that need to be addressed with sealant, repair, or replacement.

If your chimney is spalling, has deteriorated mortar,  a cracked or improperly built cement cap, or leaking issue, contact your local chimney professional for help. 

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Marge Padgitt is a 40-year chimney industry veteran and the author of Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking. Website: www.chimkc.com.