San Antonio

Fireplace Safety

Whether you need help with your wood stove, fireplace, chimney or dryer vent, the professionals at Alamo Chimney Sweepers understand the intricacies of the venting systems in your home.

Chimney Fire Prevention

A chimney fire may not sound like much of a risk or much of a problem. After all, the chimney is well insulated. It may seem unlikely that the fire will get to the rest of the house if it even gets started in the first place. But dirty chimneys are susceptible to fires that, at their worst, can destroy homes and kill the inhabitants.Chimney fires can catch on explosively, shooting flames and dense smoke out the top. Or they can be slow-burning and barely noticeable until they’ve gotten hot enough to damage the chimney irreparably and even catch your house on fire. In this area the smoke and hot gasses gather before they are sucked up the flue and outside the chimney. If this area has any gaps or breaks or is damaged in any way, it could potentially keep those gasses in the chamber, allowing them to come back into the home and not up the flue. Parging a smoke chamber is the process of making sure the inside surfaces are sealed with a layer of mortar to close off any breaks or gaps so nothing escapes anywhere except up the flue. If you use your fireplace or appliance on regular basis, we strongly recommend cleaning of the chimney flue at least once a year during annual chimney inspection. Our staff here at Alamo Chimney Sweepers is well trained and qualified to inspect or clean your chimney and to identify any potential problems.

Get Regular, Professional Chimney Cleaning

Layers of soot and creosote put you at risk for a chimney fire. They also constrict the chimney’s area, making it more difficult for the air flow to set up properly. Even half an inch of buildup can restrict the air flow by 15 to 30%, depending on the size of the chimney. A professional chimney sweep can fix this and can also install a chimney cap to prevent birds from nesting in the top.