Chimney Sweeping Safety

Safety is Everyone’s Business

Fresh Sweeps comes to your home, vacation or rental property prepared to observe carefully, recommend thoughtfully and deliver competently. Our local technicians will see to your comfort and the safety of your home’s heating appliances, HVAC system, and dryer vent.

You might not realize it, but poorly operated or maintained chimney systems, air ducts and dryer vents can cause serious problems for your home. According to the USPSC, there are an average of 22,300 fires every year because of problems with fireplaces, chimneys, and chimney connectors.

Here are some of the potential risks to your home from improperly constructed, maintained, or operated chimney, dryer vent, and air duct systems:

FIRE DANGER Comes from the build-up of creosote and other compounds in wood, gas or pellet fireplaces and stoves. Lint deposits in dryer vents are also a big risk

DANGEROUS GASES Occur when fireplace and stove combustion isn’t complete, producing carbon monoxide as well as nitrogen dioxide

SMOKE BUILD-UP Is a result of poor flue operation as well as other causes

DRAFTY ROOMS Are bad for the health of occupants as well as adding unnecessary fuel costs

ALLERGEN CIRCULATION Can be increased when air circulation systems (including vent covers and grates) are not kept clean

Fresh Sweeps can help protect your home by identifying the source of these problems and finding the best solutions that will help protect you, your family, and the places that matter to you.

Check out our pages on safety information to learn more, but please know that these quick guides can’t replace having your residential or commercial property cleaned by certified technicians from Fresh Sweeps.

Safety Alert

Fireplaces and other heating appliances are responsible for over 20,000 STRUCTURE FIRES a year in the United States + can produce harmful carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. CALL or GO ONLINE NOW to combat this risk to the people you love and the home you value.

More Service Indicators: Five Problems to Look For

Just like a car needs regular maintenance, your home’s heating appliances, HVAC system, and dryer vents need care. If neglected, these are five common problems you might experience. If you notice any of these in your home, give Fresh Sweeps a call right away.

Signal #1: EXTERIOR VENT CAP damaged, blocked or is no longer present.

The chimney cap is an important component that protects your home from drafts, leaks, and more. When it is not working properly, complete combustion in the firebox is hard to achieve.

If it has disappeared, the path for debris and even animal invasion is wide open. Fresh Sweeps can replace missing or damaged caps with new options that will help protect your home

Signal #2: ROOMS feel smelly and stuffy

This applies not only to wood or gas heating systems, but to the entire home including the laundry area. Air circulation is needed for a healthy living environment with clean, fresh air brought into the space continually. An HVAC system that restricts proper air movement – or actually adds contaminants – is not good for anyone.

Signal #3: FURNITURE is covered by dust and cleaning doesn’t help for long

Here’s where the difference between a clean and dirty HVAC system including duct work can show up. While particulates of many kinds occur in any indoor environment, too many in circulation is not good. If it is hard to keep furniture and other surfaces clean for long, the wood or gas heating appliance along with the HVAC could be responsible.

Signal #4: AIR is filled with allergens and particles

A dirty air duct system goes beyond the nuisance of keeping dust in the air. It can recycle other, nastier particulates. This can include everything from residual particles from interior construction projects to seasonal allergens. 

Signal #5: CLOTHES DRYER is becoming less efficient

It starts with damper clothes and longer dryer times. The reason? Your dryer vent is getting clogged with lint, and so the air that transports the moisture out of the dryer isn’t flowing properly. When this lint builds up to significant levels, the danger of fire becomes a real one.