Chimney Repairs
We recently completed some chimney repair jobs and below are the before and afters.
Is your fireplace safe?
Most people seem to think their fireplaces are safe, even though they have not had them cleaned or inspected for years, or even decades. This may not be the case. Over 15,000 home fires a year in the U.S. are attributed to fireplaces and chimneys.
I did a random survey of properties where we cleaned or inspected the chimney and fireplace during a 5 day period last October.
- 7 if 23 properties inspected were in good condition and only needed cleaning.
- 7 of the 23 properties had cracks in the flue that were a fire hazard and which required the chimney to be relined.
- 9 of the properties had other issues such as cracks between bricks that needed repair, cracks in the chimney crown, missing caps/spark arrestors, or faulty control modules on a gas fireplace.
Chimney fire burned Rachael Ray’s home
A home belonging to celebrity cook Rachael Ray was reportedly on fire in upstate New York. Images showed the flames shooting through the roof of the home.
Fire crews were battling flames at the home in Lake Luzerne, N.Y., as the Warren County Sheriff’s Office told ABC10 the residence belonged to the television personality.
Two weeks after a devastating fire nearly gutted Rachael Ray’s home, officials finally have released a cause. The Aug. 9 blaze at her manse began inside a fireplace chimney, state officials revealed on Friday.
Upgraded Fireplace with Glass Doors
We recently upgraded this fireplace with new glass doors. See below before and after photos.
BEFORE
AFTER
Rampart General cracked fireplaces
Pictures of Rampart General cracked fireplaces which are beyond repair and need to be torn down.
New Chimney Cap in Orange County
Here is a chimney cap job we did recently. You can see the before, during the work and after photos below.
Video of chimney which needs major repairs
This as an example of our video inspections. We make sure that the homeowner can see it is their property and they can see the issues. This is an example of a chimney which was allowed to deteriorate and which has substantial cracking both inside and out. It can be repaired but the repairs are significant.
Chimney cracks inside chimney
Due to the recent earthquakes in Southern California there have been reports of chimney damage. Some of which you might not be aware of. Here is a video of cracks inside a chimney. If you think you might have damage, get your chimney inspected now before winter comes and you can’t use it when you really need to!
Why you should only used a licensed and insured chimney sweep
Many chimney sweeps are not licensed, bonded or insured. Sometimes companies hire “subcontractors” who also have no insurance or licenses. It is not illegal for someone not to have a license if the work they do is under $500, however, there is a danger in having someone climb up on your roof with no insurance. The danger is that if they fall and get hurt, they can sue you.
Today, a customer told me that he had a friend who had a chimney sweep fall from his roof and die. This was 15 years ago. The homeowner was sued.
So before you let anyone climb on your roof, check if they have insurance.
Your chimney and earthquakes
Today parts of the San Gabriel Valley, the Inland Empire and Orange County felt a significant earthquake (7.1). If you have an older masonry chimney and you felt a significant movement of your property, it is usually recommended that you do not use your fireplace until it is inspected with a video camera to make sure there are no hazardous cracks.
If the cracks are small, the cost to fix them is very reasonable. If they are allowed to get larger with additional earthquakes, or rain coming into your chimney, or if you burn a lot of fires, you could have a house fire, or the chimney could deteriorate to a point where major repairs are needed. Read more
