Your chimney has been designed to safely remove dangerous fire byproducts and gasses produced within your fireplace. These things can clog your chimney if not effectively removed, making it highly unsafe to use.
Different things can end up blocking your chimney and obstructing the chimney flue, which lets the gasses exit. From tree foliage and trash to birds’ nests, you need to determine chimney blockages at the right time and hire chimney repair experts in NJ.
Let’s take a look at five indicators for chimney blockage.
Water Leakage
If water is leaking down your chimney, it’s a major indicator of chimney blockage. If you notice any dropping sounds around the fireplace area, it indicates a water leak. This shows that water is leaking into the chimney.
You might also notice water stains around the chimney ceiling and walls. Water leakage can also lead to water or condensation in the firebox. If your chimney’s flashing is damaged, it can cause water to enter your chimney. Water damage can also be noticed on the chimney bricks as they start absorbing moisture.
Animals Nests
Animals like squirrels, bats, chimney swifts, owls, and ants can start building a home inside your chimney. This is an indicator of chimney blockage and can lead to poor airflow, making it harder to ignite or continue a fire. Animal nests are dangerous, flammable, and can lead to roof fires.
If there are no nests, animals might also live inside the chimney. It could be due to the animals living inside if you’ve noticed any strong smells or droppings in your firebox. Animal droppings contain bacteria, which can cause diseases like histoplasmosis or cryptococcus.
Unpleasant Smells
Another indicator of chimney blockage is an unpleasant smell or odor. When creosote starts building up inside your chimney on the liners, it can lead to irritating smells. You need to consult a chimney repair expert in NJ to ensure that your chimney is not blocked.
Creosote or Soot Buildup
As we mentioned, creosote can also build up on your chimney walls or flue. Creostore is the byproduct of wood burning. Soot is another substance that can start building up inside. It’s a brown or black powder formed from unburned carbon particles. You can get these two removed by getting your chimney cleaned regularly.
Difficulty Lighting Your Fireplace
If something is blocking your chimney, there will be reduced airflow making it difficult to start a fire in your fireplace. Maintaining a fire after starting also becomes difficult. These are two indicators of chimney blockage.
To get your chimney inspected, visit us at Elezi Construction NJ LLC. If any of these indicators of chimney blockage are true for you, our chimney repair experts can help you. For chimney restoration services, you can consult us.
Reach out to us today for more information.