These 5 chimney maintenance tips to help you stay safe and warm this winter have been put together by Manchester Chimney Repair specialists Evolution Roofing – an expert team led by Christian Periera.
There is nothing more comforting than having the fire going in your home when its cold, wet and miserable outside. However it is really important to make sure your chimney is safe to use and is working efficiently so that you can get the best out of your fire this winter. We collated these top 5 chimney maintenance tips to help you stay safe and warm this winter…
5 Chimney maintenance tips
1. Ensure your chimney is watertight
An essential element of good chimney maintenance is to ensure your chimney is watertight. To do this you want to check the following:
- Chimney waterproofing
- Chase Cover or Crown
- Chimney flashing
Do you know when last you waterproofed your chimney? Use a good water sealant on the outside of the chimney – this will prevent water from eroding the structure of your chimney and entering your property. If water does break down the bricks and mortar and leaks appear this can mean that costly repairs are required. As Manchester Chimney Repair specialists we often come across repair jobs which could have been prevented with a good maintenance schedule that includes refreshing the sealant on your chimney.
A chase cover or crown is used to cover the pipe of your chimney – this can protect your property from water entering whilst allowing smoke to escape from your chimney. Using a stainless steel, aluminium or copper chimney chase or ensuring your concrete crown is intact can protect your chimney with long lasting benefits.
2. Ensure your chimney structure is sound
Checking the structure of your chimney is sound with all bricks and mortar in tact, and making sure that your chimney flashing is not ripped or has any holes in will prevent moisture from entering your roof. Your chimney may need tuckpointing if there has been some crumbling of the mortar or if there are any loose bricks. Your local chimney expert will be able to advise you on whether tuckpointing is required.
3. Regularly clear and clean your chimney
Knowing how often to have your chimney swept and cleaned is one of the most frequently asked questions here at Evo Roofing. The following factors affect how often your chimney will need to be swept and cleared:
- How often you use the fire
- The type of fuel used by your fire
- The age and maintenance level of your chimney
These factors will all affect how often chimney sweeping will be required in your property. As a minimum guide you should look at cleaning and sweeping at least once a year, or every 50 uses of your fire.
4. Use the correct type of fuel in your fire
The temptation to use unseasoned wood because it may be cheap and easily accessible may be high when there is pressure on the cost of living, however using unseasoned wood can lead to really smoky fires and poor utilisation of the fuel – which may haver an impact on the maintenance of your chimney. Using seasoned wood that has been dried for at least a year will prevent unnecessary smoke build up in your chimney, and will give you more efficient fuel use too.
As a side note you may want to review your overall approach to the type of fire you have. Although a wood fire is very pretty and instagrammable, having a gas fire could be a lot more energy efficient and make maintaining your chimney easier.
5. Get a regular chimney inspection
Having an annual chimney inspection by local chimney experts is the best way to ensure you stay on top of the maintenance requirements of your chimney. They can advise you on the current condition of your chimney from a structural perspective as well as from an efficiency perspective. You can work with them to proactively plan a maintenance schedule for your chimney that will prevent any nasty surprises.
In Summary
These 5 chimney maintenance tips to help you stay safe and warm this winter – and can save you money too. If you need help with the maintenance of your chimney and live in Manchester or Salford then we would be delighted to help you here at Evolution Roofing. With years of experience working on homes across greater Manchester and Salford we are experts in chimney repairs and maintenance.
About the Evolution Team...
Chris and the team at Evolution Roofing have over 30 years experience in the roofing trade and pride themselves on providing excellent customer service, efficient work and a zero default finish on all their projects. Proudly serving Manchester, Salford and beyond they are committed to using the best materials and techniques to give you ultimate satisfaction every time – with an insurance backed guarantee to give you additional confidence.
article author
Article prepared by Manchester Branding Designer Worsley Creative Services. For branding, Web design, SEO and overall digital marketing support, get in touch with Pamela for a no obligation chat.
