Fireplace Safety Tips   

No matter how long you have had a fireplace in your home, it is wise to update yourself on some safety concerns. Regular maintenance such as a chimney sweep and inspection are key to continuing safe and efficient fireplace usage. 

We will discuss some of the issues that may occur with fireplace usage and how to prevent them. By using a professional chimney sweep such as Doodlebuggers, you will feel confident that you have done everything possible to keep your family safe.

What Should I Be Looking For?

When it comes to your fireplace and chimney, a good practice is to be aware. Observe the surrounding areas of your chimney as well as the inside of your fireplace. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Masonry. Look for any missing bricks or cracks in the masonry. 
• Chimney integrity. Do you see movement in bricks? Is there a tilt in the structure?
• Moisture. Look inside the firebox for water. 
• Rusting parts. Moisture in the chimney will in time turn into rusty components.
• Excessive creosote in the firebox.
• Backdraft. Are you having trouble keeping a fire lit or is smoke coming back into your home?
• The Chimney Cap is damaged.
• The Chimney Crown has cracks in it.

If one or more of the items above are detected, it is time to contact Doodlebuggers for an inspection.

Too much creosote of soot in the chimney is another safety issue that needs to be attended to. A good practice would be to have an annual chimney sweep to have your chimney cleaned. You may start to recognize a smell from the chimney if you let creosote build-up.

There are a number of reasons you may experience smells. These smells may lead to fires. For safe fireplace usage, these should be addressed. 

Reasons You May Notice An Odor Coming From Your Fireplace.

• Debris – Over the year your chimney may collect dust, leaves, and twigs. Once they start to decompose, they start to emit an odor. 
• Animals – Small animals and birds may find their way into your chimney. They have droppings that may smell. Also periodically you may find that one may pass away and start to decompose.
• Moisture – Once moisture or water gets into your chimney, you may start to smell mold or mildew.

All these are signs that it is time for a chimney sweep. Creosote build-up is the number one reason for the smells that you may be experiencing but there are others as you can see. Yearly maintenance which includes your chimney inspection and sweep will keep you and your family safe while using your fireplace.

Our technicians are not subcontractors, they are true employees of the company. They go through a rigorous process to learn every detail of all of our services. Most of our technicians are cross-trained and certified in many designations including the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) to name a couple. They must earn these designations via national standardized testing. This is not something to take lightly; we want to ensure they know what they are doing while they are serving your property.

Doodlebuggers serves throughout the Pensacola and Destin areas in Florida. We’d be happy to tell you more about the best practices when you visit one of our showrooms:

Pensacola: 7555 Highway 98 West, Suite A.

Destin: 36054 Emerald Coast Pkwy. #100.

You can also get more information by giving us a call or reaching out through our handy contact form.