Many of our customers have specific questions about our services. Here are just a few of the frequently asked questions we hear at Sweep-A- Chim.
Simply visit our "Contact Us" page to message us directly or give us a call at 410-838-8519
We do prefer our clients to be home when our technicians are there so in case of an emergency or any issues that arise the home owner is present to discuss the issues.
We service Harford, Baltimore, and Cecil counties
An inspection included with a sweep service is a level 1 visual inspection defined by NFPA 211:
A Level I inspection is required to ensure the minimum acceptable levels of safety for a chimney. The following list indicates some of the items to be included in a Level I inspection, to the extent that they are readily accessible and included in the installation being inspected.
The following list should not be considered all-inclusive:
(1) Level of cleanliness of venting system
(2) Verification that the flue is not blocked or significantly restricted or obstructed
(3) Appliance clearance
(4) General condition of appliance
(5) Chimney or vent and its connector for general suitability for appliance
(6) Chimney or vent and its connector for type, material, and condition.
(7) Chimney or vent and its connector clearance
(8) Chimney or vent and its connector joint security
(9) Chimney or vent and its connector for support and stability
(10) Chimney or vent and its connector for offset, rise, or slope
(11) Chimney connector or vent connector accessories (baro‐metric damper, damper, draft hood, heat reclaimer)
(12) Chimney liner for proper support
(13) Appropriateness of the chimney liner type for appliance
(14) That the chimney liner is present and free of readily visible defects, distortion, and spalling
(15) That flue cleanouts are present and properly installed
(16) Condition of wash when readily accessible
(17) That the chimney cap, if present, does not contribute to flue blockage/restriction
(18) That the spark arrester, if present, is not obstructed
(19) That the top installed damper, if present, does not obstruct the flue
(20) Wall pass-through general condition
(21) That the connector is secure where it meets the wall pass-through, chimney, or vent
(22) General condition of hearth and hearth extension
(23) Hearth extension sizing
(24) General condition of the hearth extension, replace facing, re chamber, and smoke chamber, with special emphasis on tight-fitting joints between assemblies
(25) Type and condition of re chamber lining
(26) Clearance to combustible trim and mantels around replace opening
(27) Operation and closure of damper assembly
(28) Smoke chamber general condition
(29) Smoke chamber accessibility
(30) Smoke chamber transition to flue
(31) That air circulation grilles (openings) around factory built replace are not blocked or restricted
(32) Freedom from rust or corrosion of readily accessible metal parts in factory-built fireplaces and chimneys
(33) That mechanical draft systems are operable and free from rust and corrosion
Cement or Concrete top to the chimney. Shaped to allow rainwater to roll off of the chimney. Without a proper chimney crown, or if you have a cracked one, rainwater seeps into the bricks and mortar of your chimney. In the winter, this freezes and thaws constantly. When water freezes, it expands by about 10% turning small cracks into large cracks and causing “Spalling” (peeling) of the bricks, and deterioration of the mortar.
A circular piece of metal that attaches to the round pipe of a prefabricated chimney just above the flashing system. It serves the important purpose of keeping water and moisture from being able to enter through the opening where the pipe comes out of the flashing system. The storm collar should be sealed with caulk or silicone and may need to be reapplied after several years.
The cavity between the firebox and the flue of the fireplace. It is designed to funnel into the flue liner. This area should start wide and become more narrow to funnel smoke from the firebox into the chimney. The smoke chamber should be shaped like a cone, funnel, or pyramid to provide a seamless passageway.
The cement or concrete between the bricks of the chimney. The vertical is referred to as “head joints” and horizontal as “bed joints”.
It is the metal or sealant layers that are meant to provide a watertight seal between the chimney and the roofline. The flashing prevents water from entering your home through the roof.
Chimney caps are protective coverings that go over the top of your chimney. They are usually made of steel or copper mesh and are designed to prevent rain water and animals from entering into the flue.
The general term for a passage through which gases are conveyed from the combustion chamber to the outer air. Also known as the lining system inside the chimney, usually made of Terracotta or Stainless Steel. (One chimney can have multiple flues.)
A flue gas-conveying system intended for use only with certain gas, liquid, or pellet fuel-fired appliances that do not produce flue gas outlet temperatures higher than a value specified in the vent listing.
The vertical section of interior masonry wall that separates the flues from one another where more than one flue is present in the chimney.
The area behind the damper that is the floor of the smoke chamber. The smoke shelf is designed to collect any rainwater or debris that may have entered the chimney. The smoke shelf also helps to prevent downdrafts from sending smoke and toxins into your home.
A manual mechanism that controls airflow and smoke through the chimney flue. Dampers are important because they help start and control fires. Poker, Rotary, and Double-Pivot are the most common damper types.
A horizontal beam placed across the fireplace opening to support the chimney. A lintel is required to spread the load from the wall construction above a fireplace opening down through the sides of the fireplace.
A decorative shelf added safely above the firebox opening is called the fireplace mantel. Mantels must be far enough away from the top of your fireplace to avoid overheating. (Don’t want to see burning stockings on Christmas!).
The area where the fire occurs. Lined with special bricks designed for the high-heat.
The cavity below the fireplace designed to sweep ashes into to later be cleaned out from a clean-out door. The ash pit should be accessible for the homeowner in the basement or outside of the chimney. Not all fireplaces have an ash dump.
The floor of the fireplace that is made of non-combustible masonry materials such as brick or stone. The hearth is made up of both an inner hearth and an outer hearth extension.
An appliance designed to be installed into an existing fireplace (mainly masonry).
The transition piece that goes between siding and the brick of the chimney.
A sloped backing that diverts water away from the chimney and down the roof.
The chimney chase houses the flue pipe. Usually constructed with steel studs or wood with the exterior made of brick, wood, vinyl, or metal siding.
Also known as “Chase Pans” or “Chase Tops”. They are typically a rectangular-shaped piece that covers the top of your chase and are made of metal.
Draftstopping is intended to resist the passage of smoke and gases and surround the firestop in the chase. Draftstops are used in conjunction with firestops.
Made of metal and designed to resist the upward movement of flames, smoke, and gases in the event of a chimney fire. Firestops are required to prevent a home fire from passing through to the next level above.
A fireplace made in a factory (of metal) and then installed into the home.
Made of masonry materials (brick, mortar, stone, etc.), this structure is often constructed during the process of building the house. Masonry fireplaces are able to have an “Insert” installed within.
Essentially a wood/pellet/gas stove without legs that has been designed to fit inside of an existing fireplace. They consist of a metal box that gets “inserted” into the fireplace opening and is finished with a decorative surround to create a seamless look. Inserts must have a size-specific liner installed into the chimney.
A freestanding appliance intended for heating by burning wood/pellet/gas. Stoves must be connected to a properly sized liner inside the chimney.
Fireboxes that get framed into a wall (with appropriate non-combustible material surroundings). They differ from open masonry fireplaces in the fact that they don’t require a chimney and instead use venting that can go up or out of the house.
Material made of or surfaced with wood, compressed paper, plant fibers, plastics, or other material that can ignite and burn, whether flame-proofed or not, or whether plastered or unplastered.
A material that, in the form in which it is used and under the conditions anticipated, will not ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable vapors, when subjected to fire or heat.
