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“As we are going into winter, people like to use their fireplaces — to enjoy them visually and for heat from them,” said Richard Balliger Jr. of Chimney Saviors. “It’s important to be sure they are in safe, operating condition. And NFPA 211 recommends yearly cleaning and inspection for each fireplace.” (NFPA 211 is the National Fire Protection Association “standard for chimneys, fireplaces, vents and solid fuel-burning appliances.”)
Chimney Saviors is a father (Richard Balliger Sr.) and son family business, with a combined experience of more than 60 years in the construction and chimney industry — and they recommend having your fireplace and chimney inspected, and cleaned or repaired, as necessary. Here’s how they do it, for gas or wood-burning fireplaces.
Inspection/repair
Firebox: “Make sure the firebox is safe, that the walls are not cracked or blistering,” Balliger Jr. said. The mortar and joints should be nice and solid. The walls of the firebox and floor of the firebox (inner hearth) should be in good operating condition, with no cracks. “They’ll be absorbing most of the heat,” he said.
Smoke chamber: “The smoke chamber takes the smoke from the firebox to the flue,” Balliger said. And you look for the same issues as with the firebox, making sure it is in safe operating condition.
Flue: “We look at the flue,” he said. “If it is metal, we make sure all the joints are properly connected and there is no buildup of soot or creosote.” He added that, if the flue is masonry, they make sure it is cleaned and that there are no obstructions — and all the joints, mortar and masonry are in good condition. “Generally, we do a smoke test to be sure it drafts properly and is not leaking.”
Spark arrestor: When Chimney Saviors does an inspection they include the very top of the chimney. “We look at the spark arrestor. They can get clogged over time,” Balliger said. “The spark arrestor is important to keep sparks and embers from leaving the flue and starting a fire on the hillside or on your neighbor’s roof.”
Crown: They also look at the crown on top of a masonry chimney. If it is leaking, water can get into the chimney and cause damage over time. “A lot of times they leak and people can’t figure out why they have water leaking inside,” Balliger said.
Chimney exterior: If the chimney is masonry, Chimney Saviors examines its exterior bricks to be sure they aren’t cracked — “that the chimney is not broken,” he said.
Balliger explained some of the problems that can arise when things aren’t right with your fireplace and chimney. “If you have cracks in the smoke chamber, separations or voids, the heat can transfer into the chimney and into the walls of the house and, over time, start a fire,” he said. “It is important these are repaired to keep all the smoke and heat contained in the firebox and chimney.”
Using your fireplace
Balliger offered advice on using your fireplace to burn wood, too. Always use a good fire grate, one that stands about two to three inches above the hearth. This allows good air circulation under and around your logs to promote a good hot fire, with less smoke.
And be sure there are no large gaps in the grate, where “large char” can fall through.
Balliger offered an especially interesting tip about fire/fireplace size. As you might expect, he recommends small fires in small fireplaces. However, he explained that large fireplaces need large fires to work properly and draft the smoke well. Small, cool, smoky fires may back-smoke out the front of larger fireplaces.
In regard to the rain we have been having, Balliger said that cold, wet air is heavy and will be harder to get moving up and out the top of your chimney. “People may experience back-smoking unless they keep things hot,” he said. “A small, smoky fire isn’t going to draft well.”
He added that when the wind is blowing wildly, any fireplace may experience back-smoking. “The wind blows over the chimney and pushes the air down.”
“First, heat the flue up with something that burns hot and fast, like newspapers,” he said. “It pushes all the cold air out of the chimney. Then start your fire. It’s less likely to back-smoke.”
Balliger said to start your fire with small materials and work toward bigger — gradually adding larger logs as the fire gets going.
Asked about using wax-type fire starters, Balliger said these were fine, if they were used as designed. He felt the same about wax logs, though he added, “They don’t burn real hot. If the chimney doesn’t draft well, it could back-smoke.” He also offered one very important caution about wax logs. “Never mix wax logs with real wood. It will get too hot.”
In regard to fireplace safety, Balliger said, “Keep your wood and other combustibles away from the face of the fireplace when you are having a fire. And have a spark screen that fits properly. It prevents sparks from popping out and onto rugs.”
To keep your fireplace working efficiently, Balliger said to keep the ash buildup to a minimum. “When ash builds up it starts affecting the fire. It needs good air circulation to burn. Try to clear it before it gets up past the bottom of the grate.”
Chimney Saviors has been operating in Canyon Country for 16 years and is licensed under Right Way Builders. The business is bonded and insured and the license classifications include general, masonry and pre-fabricated equipment. They will do a fireplace inspection for $195. A cleaning is $125-$135. You can have both done for $225. Call (661) 205-5180 or (805) 338-3858. The Web site is www.fixthatchimney.com.
