Why
should I have my fireplace cleaned?
Having your chimney cleaned and inspected is a very
important part of being a responsible fireplace owner.
There are many areas of a fireplace that can hold trouble
spots that are not visible to an untrained eye. You
should always remember when you burn your fireplace, you are
having an open fire in your house. Is your house worth
the price of an inspection or cleaning?
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What
happens during a chimney fire?
A chimney fire usually occurs when a chimney or
fireplace has not been cleaned in a while. The built
up soot in the chimney becomes overheated and actually
ignites. Creosote is a very potent fuel source for
fire and can create intense heat. Sometimes chimney
fires can do very little damage at all, however, more often
than not they cause serious damage to the interior of the
chimney or possibly even the house. This is why it is
recommend that you at least have your chimney inspected
annually, unless told by a certified professional.
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Does
chimney cleaning make a mess?
In
the old days, people expected to have a mess to deal with
after having the chimney cleaned. We here at Wisconsin
Chimney Technicians have a "No Mess Guarantee" .
We have an assortment of equipment to make sure your house
stays as clean as when we first got there.
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Why
does my chimney leak even though the flashing has been
sealed (multiple times)?
There
could be several reasons why your chimney seems to be
leaking. Sometimes it is not the flashing that is the
cause of the leak. It could be mortar joints, or
even the cement or mortar covering on the crown. We
have several different methods to identify and correct the
leak on your chimney. Please call us or click
"Schedule an Appointment" at the top of the page.
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What
is tuck pointing?
Tuck pointing
is the removal of old deteriorated mortar joints between the
bricks, and replacing it with fresh, strong, new mortar.
Tuck pointing is generally used when the overall condition
of the chimney is not that bad, maybe a few joints are bad.
When overall condition of the chimney is beyond tuck
pointing, most likely rebuilding of the chimney is in order.
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What is
that smell?
Odors
arise in fireplaces generally when there is a downdraft
issue with the fireplace. The odor is caused by
creosote in the fireplace that is damp with rain.
Odors can also arise from what is called 3rd degree
creosote, which is a very concentrated form of creosote.
We have several methods to help alleviate those odors from
installing an airtight dampercap to odor removers in
concentrate or aerosol forms. Please call to schedule
an appointment for inspection so that we can determine the
cause of your problem.
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What
type of wood should I be using?
"Use
only hardwood", I'm sure that you have heard that
one before, but in reality, it really doesn't matter what
species of wood that you use. All wood put out
comparable BTUs per pound of wood. Granted, Oak is a
denser wood than Pine, and will typically burn longer.
The best thing that you could do is use aged wood. Typically
wood that is aged 1 1/2 years to 2 years is best.
However you also don't want to use too much really old wood.
If you have some that you want to burn, mix it in with some
of the newer wood to control the burn.
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I have
staining on the chimney, that just won't go away.
Staining
on the chimney, whether it be exterior or interior,
generally points to a failure or non-existence of a clay
tile or steel liner system. This can be very hazardous
and it is recommend that you seek a chimney professional to
come out immediately to diagnose any potential problems.
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Are
vines ok?
Vines are one
of the worst enemies of masonry. The vines tend to
root into the mortar joints of the chimney and destroy them.
If you have vines growing on your chimney one of the best
things you could possibly do it to cut them down before
costly repairs are needed.
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Why should
I have a chimney cap?
Chimney flue
caps are wonderful things, they keep those pesky little
critters out of your chimney and fireplace, and they provide
protection from another of masonry's enemies, rain.
Rain can cause many nasty things to happen to a fireplace.
Rain can cause odors, rust out dampers or smoke chambers, it
can ever damage the fire box in the fireplace. All of
these things can be avoided by the simple investment in a
chimney flue cap.
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Why have
my air ducts cleaned?
Air Ducts in
a house are one of the biggest collection areas for dust,
dander, animal fur, and etc. Think about how often you
dust your house. Do you get down, take off the
register covers an vacuum the ducts too? What about
under the bed, you know when you sometimes move a big piece
of furniture that hasn't been moved in a while, there is
usually a layer of dust under it. Well ever since the
house was built, that same kind of dust can be building up
in your forced air system. Just think about every time your
furnace kicks in, it moves a little more of that dust back
into the air. If you have a dust problem, or
allergies, maybe its time to call us for a duct cleaning.
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How
long does air duct cleaning take?
Air Duct cleaning
usually takes approximately 3-4 hours on a house about
1500-2000 sqft. Sometimes it can take longer if the
duct system is very complicated or is especially dirty.
Please allow at least 4 hours when scheduling an air duct
cleaning.
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I
have a room that is particularly hard to heat.
Sometimes a room can
be hard to heat for a couple of different reasons, maybe
there is a damper in the system that is partially closed? or
something is blocking the duct leading to that room?, or
sometimes it can just be the way the heating system is
designed to fit the house. We have several tools and
tips in our bag to help you figure out the problem.
All you have to do is ask!
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How
do I know that the air ducts are clean?
This one is
easy---- We will show you!
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Why
have my dryer vent cleaned?
Dryers vents
exhaust the heat and moisture that is being generated by the
dryer and damp clothes. When the dryer vent is clogged, the
heat and moisture are trapped. This build up of heat in the
dryer can be dangerous. In extreme instances, the
dryer can even start on fire! As well as fire
prevention, having the vent cleaned also helps preserve the
life of the dryer motor as well. If the vent is clogged, the
motor has to work harder to vent the heat and moisture, thus
wearing it out faster. Call us today or schedule
online to have us come out and clean your dryer vent!
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