Our Duty to Our Customers
We feel your safety is our number one priority when we come to inspect and clean
your fireplace, stove, gas/oil flue, and chimney. If you have called us out to take
a look at your fireplace or stove before the cleaning even begins a quick inspection
is performed and then we sit down and talk about the aspects of your individual
system. Every stove and fireplace is a little different in one aspect or another
and we give you the knowledge to have the most efficient, safest, and cleanest fire
in your home.
The information that we bring to our customers has been generated in studies performed
at various institutions--Penn State, for example. Our job then is to pass this information
down to you, the consumer, so you can rest easy knowing that having a fire in your
home can indeed be safe and easy.
Our multi-point inspection sheet covers all aspects of your appliance, chimney,
and home and at the end of our visit we sit down and go over each item that is either
satisfactory or unsatisfactory based upon what we witness and what current codes
specify.
Our hopes of course are that you take our information to heart and pass it along
to friends and family spreading the tips and tricks we provide. Along with
the verbal education we provide comes a hard copy in the form of a fireplace or
stove booklet. We realize there is a lot of technical information and it may be
hard to remember but the booklet is there as your reference guide to make things
all that easier.
Safety: Our Greatest Concern
Home Safety & Emergency Education
Of course we hope that the worst case scenario never happens but we educate all our customers
on what to do in the event of a chimney fire or in the event of a carbon monoxide scare.
We
explain where to have your fire extinguishers, where and what type of carbon monoxide meter/alarm to
have, and finally we check to make sure you have smoke detectors and a fire escape plan. All
of these items are extremely important to have placed and planned out appropriately in your home.
We are firm believers in the statement that knowledge is power and with it you
can avoid disaster. Remember you are creating a fire in your
home--controlling it is no matter to take lightly.
Fireplace & Stove Education
Some of the aspects we cover include burning at the right temperatures and
duration, wood quality, the dynamics of airflow in your system, and reducing the
amount of creosote build up in your system thus keeping it clean and healthy.
We also cover common issues with fireplaces/stoves such as drafting issues, back
drafts & smoking, trouble starting the fire or keeping it going, and creosote
build up removal.
Lastly, based on your specific needs we will recommend repairs if needed first,
and then other optional products to enhance your burning experience such as
fireplace grates, top mount dampers, chimney caps, waterproofing, thermometers
and more. We make sure that you have the tools needed to have a safe and
efficient fire.
Fireplace Flame Pattern (click image to enlarge)
Gas & Oil Education
It is extremely important to understand the aspects of carbon monoxide generating
appliances in your home be it from wood, gas, or oil. For customers who are
having us inspect their gas or oil system we look for cracks, deterioration, gaps
in the system, blockages, correct furnace piping issues, and we check for proper placement of carbon monoxide meters.
A common mistake we see being made by home owners is carbon monoxide alarm/meter
placement. For each home there is a very specific placement based on where
you sleep, where your furnace is, and the condition of the flue. We go over
all this information the day of the inspection/cleaning.
Even if your furnace is in tip top shape and/or brand new often times the flue itself
is overlooked and this of course is where we come in to the equation to examine
and test the flue integrity.
We have found that on average tile-lined oil flues will last 40-60 years before they become
unsafe. If your home falls in this range, you are not alone--but rest
assured that we have a solution for your flue if one is needed.