As you use your fireplace to keep your property warm while reducing energy costs during the winter, certain issues may occur that could put your property and health at risk. By paying close attention to the behavior of your chimney and fireplace, you could call for residential chimney repair long before a serious accident. With the health of your family on the line, it is in your better interests to make this a priority as you fight off the cold weather.
Smoke
All fires, with specific exceptions, produce some type of smoke but this should safely leave your home via the chimney, allowing you all the benefits of the fire without the hazard. However, a blocked or damaged chimney could block the smoke from its intended path, leaving it with no choice but to move into your property. Smoke inhalation is the most common cause of death during a house fire with trapped occupants and even small exposures could lead to long-lasting damage to the lungs, making residential chimney repair in Severna Park, MD a necessity.
In addition, free-floating embers are nearly always present in smoke produced from a wood fire, which can land on any dry surface and potentially cause a fire. In the right conditions, a fire can overtake a room in a matter of minutes and this is a serious situation that should be avoided at all cost. To make sure that this is the case, you need to make Severna Park residential chimney repair a necessity.
Cracks
Some damage can be caused by severe weather, wear and tear, or simply old age, leaving the brick work of your chimney at risk for cracking. If you suspect that your chimney may be in disrepair, the safest way to check is to visually observe the exterior surface using a pair of binoculars from afar. This way, you can clearly determine if you need residential chimney repair without risking the use of a ladder.
