Winter is here. Have you made sure your fireplace is properly maintained?
STOCKTON — Winter is here, and as we head further into the cold and wet season, fireplace safety is imperative.
Snuggling by the fireplace was the plan one night for homeowners in Sacramento's Pocket neighborhood when they noticed thick black material lining their chimney. Immediately, they called for reinforcement, and we followed along.
Den Defenders, a Stockton-based company, took us through the process of chimney inspecting and sweeping – something they say should be done once a year.
First, the technicians sweep the chimney. Then, they run a camera up to check for holes in the flu tile.
Lamont Skinner, a chimney expert, said some of the things they look for are holes and missing mortar "because creosote can go into places you can't clean."
In this Sacramento family's chimney, stage 3 creosote packed the system.
"So that's glazed creosote. That's when you haven't had your system cleaned in so long, it starts to chemically bond to the brick," Skinner explained.
Creosote is flammable and burns hot. It can cause chimney fires or, worst case, a house fire. All that unburnt fuel can also affect the air quality in your home.
"Once it coats your system and builds up a thick layer on the system, all it's waiting for is a spark," Skinner added.
After the initial inspection, the Den Defenders head up to the roof to check the stability of the stack.
"We check the crown to check if there's any water intrusion coming into the home," Skinner said.
This week, the company saw an influx of calls following the last big rain storm. In most cases, people heard a clinking noise, indicating that they didn't have a chimney cap or that there was a water leak in the stack.
If enough damage is done, homeowners can expect to pay between $5,000 to $30,000.
So before you consider cozying up next to your wood-burning fireplace, it's recommended your maintenance is up to date.
Chimney experts also say to only burn the fuel your fireplace is meant to burn.