Think you don’t need to bother with chimney maintenance because it’s summer? Just as neglecting its condition while in use during the cooler season is bad, not using your chimney for a long period of time can also lead to wintertime problems, especially when small fixes are needed but ignored and a proper cleaning not done. This is where a homeowner can get hit with costly repairs or the need for chimney replacement in Seminole County, FL. Let’s avoid this—here are a few important summertime home roofing maintenance tips to keep in mind:
- Check the opening: Whether you’re burning real wood or composite logs, the mouth of your fireplace can get mighty filthy. Not removing the ash from the floor after each use will mean piles (or a mountain) of debris that can stifle burning logs, rendering them unable to hold a flame. Ash can even get kicked up by warm summer winds that have traveled down the flue. Although it’s summer, if ash still remains at the bottom of your chimney, scoop it out.
- Inspect the stack and cap: Get up on a ladder (if safe to do so) or step back in your yard to inspect the external portion of your chimney that’s visible. Depending on the type of material your chimney is made of, make sure there’s no obvious damage—bricks should be intact, stucco should be chip-free and metal should not be dented or corroding. Then check that the cap is secured in place atop the stack. Its job is to keep outside debris from falling in and hot burning ash from collecting on your roof.
- Check chimney flashing: The chimney flashing is a protective cover that goes over seams between the base of the chimney and the roofing material. Without this weather-resistant barrier, water can get through and cause problems like leaks, drafts and mold growth. First, check that the flashing is not missing or loose, and then inspect it for rust.
- Clean the inside: Aside from sweeping up ash from the fireplace bottom, you also need to wipe down sooty walls, inside bricks and the damper. Also check that you can open and close the damper without issue. Next, either get yourself a chimney flue cleaning kit or hire a chimneysweeper. The flue is the duct that leads smoke and particles up and out, which means there’s likely debris built up within. Clean the flue to ensure a healthy burning fireplace come winter.
- Make repairs: It’s important to not let damaged areas get worse. Whether you have the skills to do it yourself or you call in an expert, make chimney repairs as soon as possible so you don’t end up adding chimney replacement in Seminole County, FL to your to-do list.
Keep in mind that summer maintenance for your home does not stop at cleaning up the yard or repairing a downed fence. You must also look up to ensure that the roofing material around your chimney, as well as the chimney itself, is still in good condition. For needed fixes or chimney replacement in Seminole County, FL, contact our team at Winter Springs Roofing & Repairs for a job done right.