If you’ve had a chimney for a while, you have noticed how effective it is at keeping your home warm. With a properly working fireplace chimney, the heat radiates into the room but the smoke escapes through the chimney. That’s because of the chimney effect.
The Chimney Effect
With the chimney effect, the heat of the fire causes the air in the fireplace to be much less dense. The hot air rises and pulls the smoke out of the chimney with it. That creates an air pressure imbalance, which sucks air in from other parts of the house. That feeds the fire and keeps it burning effectively. This is why it’s important to have a well-maintained fireplace chimney in Severna Park, MD.
If you have not had your chimney cleaned in awhile, you need to call Priddy Clean Chimney Sweeps, Inc. That will help ensure your chimney stays in good condition.
Acidic Byproducts
When you burn wood or other fuel in your fireplace chimney, the byproducts of partial combustion can build up on the surface of the chimney. That byproduct is likely acidic. When you burn more fuel, it heats up the chimney. The heat activates the acid, which begins to etch away at the brick and mortar. Over time, it will degrade the quality and dependability of your fireplace. The best choice is to have your chimney cleaned from time to time. That will slow down the buildup of creosote and other byproducts.
You can also ask about having a liner installed to protect your chimney. That will help prevent acidic damage. A liner is a material that is not prone to damage from acid or other fireplace byproducts. The liner will keep the brick and mortar from being degraded by the fireplace as it is used throughout the winter.