Auburn, Alabama

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Sootaway’s Expert Chimney and Fireplace Services

Chimney Sweep Auburn, Alabama

Sootaway chimney sweep Auburn knows that fireplaces and chimneys are very important to maintain. As one of the riskiest areas of the home, when not properly maintained, fireplaces can become very dangerous. With that being said, if you own a fireplace, you should consider getting your chimney cleaned by a professional chimney sweep team. Professional chimney sweeps can help minimize the risks of owning a fireplace and ensure your chimney is properly maintained. The Sootaway team consists of experienced chimney sweeps serving Auburn, Alabama. We help our clients feel secure with their fireplace so they can enjoy it anytime they want. Before discussing the benefits of our services, let’s cover what chimney sweeps do.

What is a Chimney Sweep?

A chimney sweep is a professional chimney technician who ensures homes are safe to use their fireplaces. Since the 1700s, fireplace owners have known cleaning their chimneys is a risky task. Homeowners would seek the help of young boys who would climb up their chimney to clean each brick and tile in the interior. Thankfully, commercial-grade equipment has taken that job away from children. Despite people knowing for over 300 years that chimney cleaning is very important, many people neglect to do this task, or they attempt to do it themselves.

Chimney sweeps are highly trained workers who have the proper equipment to clean chimneys thoroughly. Most homeowners do not have the necessary tools to get up and inside the chimney. To reach the entire chimney a pro needs the proper tools. A professional chimney sweep will use extendable brushes, specialized cleaning agents, and even cameras to ensure your chimney is completely clean. With that being said, hiring professional chimney sweep Auburn, such as those at Sootaway, has a multitude of benefits.

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Chimney Fire Prevention Tips

Use Proper Fuel

Make sure the wood is seasoned and when choosing a type of wood, go for a hardwood like oak, maple, or ash. A few logs of greenwood can build creosote thick enough to start a chimney fire.

Proper Installation

Your wood stove or furnace must be installed properly and by a professional. This is to ensure there is proper distance between the flammable parts and the non-combustible parts of the heating system. A wood stove’s chimney must be brick-made (masonry) and factory-built. A single bricked chimney with no liner must never be used for a wood stove.

Chimney Cleaning

Get a professional chimney sweep to inspect your chimney at least annually. This should be even more frequent if the fireplace is lit regularly.

Use Smoke Detectors

With the help of smoke detectors, troubleshoot and take action immediately any time smoke is detected indoors. The smoke is most likely a result of a dirty chimney full of debris like dead leaves, twigs, soot, or creosote buildup that have resulted in chimney flue blockage. Other causes include soft or wet wood that has not burned completely or a damper that is not fully opened.

Dangers of Creosote

Unfortunately, creosote is an unavoidable side effect of using your wood-burning fireplace. Creosote is a type of residue that results from burning wood. Creosote sticks to the walls of your chimney, and excessive buildup can lead to hazards such as odors in the home or chimney fires. Because creosote is the leading cause of chimney fires, the National Fire Protection Association recommends having your chimney annually. Your Sootaway chimney sweeps are experienced in cleaning chimneys and removing creosote and are happy to assist you.

Happy Customers

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Happy Customers

“Sootaway came out and used some spray to waterproof my chimney. Even gave me a 10 yr warranty in case we did start seeing leaks but reassured me that it would not be a problem again. I really appreciate knowing I don’t have to worry about my chimney for a long time.”

“I liked that this business called me ahead of time to verify my appointment, I almost forgot about it. Additionally, they laid down a cloth so that my carpet would stay clean. I liked the extra care they took during the whole process.”

“The back wall of my fireplace was heavily cracked. I wasn’t sure if this would cause other problems or not but I called just in case. They said they could replace it with a new one for a very reasonable price. Everything went smoothly and my fireplace is no longer cracked!”

Read Our Blog

Chimney Fires, How Dangerous are they?

by Patrick Buell | January 2, 2019 | Blogs | 0 Comments

The chimney represents architectural addition to the home, but its actual function is to carry out gases from the fireplace or woodstove. Chimney fires are a serious problem, can still occur even with careful measures. That is why annual chimney repair and cleanings are critical for home maintenance. Therefore, people look for professional guidance for the maintenance of their chimneys. Causes of Chimney Fires The leading cause of a chimney fire is creosote. It builds up due to a restricted air supply, cool chimney temperatures, and unseasoned wood. In the presence of high flue temperature, the result could be chimney fires. Also, chimney fires happen due to precipitates of carbon and dust in the chimney. Structural or liner problems can allow high temperatures and sparks to escape to combustible areas in walls or roofs. These are the main reasons behind chimney fires. How to Identify a Chimney Fire? There are some ways to identify chimney fires so you can avoid the dangers of it and...

Prefab fireplace installed in beautiful home

Fireplace Chimney Cleaning, Inspection and Maintenance Process

by Patrick Buell | December 28, 2018 | Blogs | 0 Comments

Over time, as you continue to use your fireplace, soot and creosote can accumulate and cling to the sides of the chimney. A certain level of accumulation puts the chimney at risk of blockage or can even set it on fire! Before the wood burning season, it is important that you ensure your chimney and fireplace is inspected and cleaned with the help of professional fireplace chimney cleaning services. This is important to ensure your safety when you ignite those embers. Depending on how frequently you use your fireplace, the inspection and cleaning should be annual, twice or thrice that. If you use it once a week then yearly is great but if it is more frequent than that, then a professional fireplace chimney cleaning twice per year is recommendable. There are few signs to be on the lookout for that can indicate your chimney craves your attention. These include the following: Fires that burn poorly, or if during a fire any smoke comes back into the room. An odour of burning wood coming...

How Much Time Does it a Chimney Sweep take?

by Patrick Buell | December 21, 2018 | Blogs | 0 Comments

If you are concerned about the amount of time it will take to sweep your chimney, you really should get in touch with a professional chimney sweep. For they are certainly going to take less time than any DIY plans that you might have. Besides, a professional chimney sweep will certainly do a better job of it and it will probably be better for you both from a safety point of view. Moreover, apart from the cleaning, they would be able to alert you to any damage that your chimney might have undergone. Though the amount of time required for a chimney sweep really depends upon the extent and quantity of the deposit inside the chimney most chimney sweeps take between forty-five minutes to one hour. That in any case will accomplish way more than anything you might attempt on your own Factors That Make It Longer to Clean a Chimney Sweep The presence of creosote in the flue. A damaged flue. Blockages like birds’ nests. Larger dimensions of the chimney. A large amount of dirt in the chimney....

Chimney Examination

by Patrick Buell | June 1, 2020 | Blogs | 0 Comments

If a chimney is not properly cared for, the results can be severe. A number of issues can arise when a chimney is not regularly cleaned and maintained. One common problem is the obstruction of the chimney which blocks smoke and dangerous gases from leaving the house and into the air outside. You can clean your chimney yourself, but it is usually best to hire chimney cleaning contractors to do it for you, due to the complexity for chimneys. A clean and clear chimney is vital to the safety of you and your loved ones when using your fireplace. If you’ve scheduled a chimney inspection with chimney cleaning contractors, then you might be wondering what to expect from them. Certified contractors will ensure all accessible parts of the chimney are properly inspected so you can rest easy when lighting your fireplace any time or season. Essential Areas Chimney Cleaning Contractors Should Inspect 1. Structural Integrity A chimney inspector will first assess the interior and exterior of...

Chimney Leak Issues

by Patrick Buell | June 9, 2020 | Blogs | 0 Comments

What causes chimney leaks? Although chimneys look like simple brick or stone columns, they are actually complex structures with a number of different pieces and parts. Because the chimney is constantly exposed to the elements, its masonry is at greater risk for damage and breakdown. The following are some of the most common causes of chimney leaks. Chimney cap: The chimney cap protects the top of your flue from water entry, as well as animals and debris. Without a properly fitted chimney cap, the flue and fireplace are left completely exposed to water entry from rain. Flashing: Flashing is the watertight strips that seal the seam between your roof and the chimney structure. If the flashing is incorrectly installed, damaged, or merely loses its seal due to wear and tear or age, water can easily seep through any gaps. This can cause water damage to not only the roof and chimney but also the ceilings and walls around the chimney. Masonry damage: If one side or part of your...

COVID-19 Update

by Patrick Buell | May 15, 2020 | Blogs | 0 Comments

We want you to know that, Yes, we are still open and scheduling appointments for families in our community. We also want you to know that now it’s more important than ever to be prepared for the wood burning season in the fall. We understand and recognize the Coronavirus is a very serious problem. We take your health and safety very seriously. Because of that, we want you to know about the precautions we are taking to ensure the safety of your home and family, and the safety and health of our technicians as well. Firstly, we understand if you do not feel comfortable with our technicians coming into your home during this time, and we would be more than happy to reschedule your current appointments. During our appointments, we are taking the following precautions: Our technicians will be wearing booties Our Team will be washing their hands frequently with anti-bacterial soap We will be using drop cloths We will be keeping anyone who is sick in our team at home. The above are...

Prepare Your Kindling for Winter

by Patrick Buell | September 10, 2020 | Blogs | 0 Comments

Nothing is cozier on a cold evening than a popping fire, warm and gleaming, in the chimney or oven. Wood heat is likewise more affordable than numerous gas or electric heaters and can be more viable for home warming and cooking in numerous zones. In any case, by what method would it be a good idea for you to store your kindling to be certain it is prepared for it to be utilized exactly when you need it most? Assuming you are finished splitting your logs, the next thing to do is arrange and build a base for a storage area to keep these. This will permit your kindling to fix and age – fresh logs are known as green wood and should not be burned in the chimney or oven as they need time to dry. Appropriate stacking and capacity will likewise give a sheltered area to shield your wood from the components while keeping out any undesirable irritations from your home. Kindling in the U.S is regularly stacked in a rectangular face-rope type setup, with somewhere in the range of 1-3 face strings...

The Best Ways to Find a Chimney Sweep that is Local

by Patrick Buell | January 18, 2019 | Blogs | 0 Comments

Chimney sweeping is a challenging task, especially for those who don’t have any experience or profound knowledge of it. Sweeping needs to be done correctly because if not, dangerous fires could occur. There are numerous ways to find a local chimney sweep, and this article will help you do just that. If you have just moved into a new home, you will need to get your chimney cleaned as soon as possible. As the winter season approaches, fireplaces will become very helpful to heat up your home, so you will want to get yours cleaned sooner rather than later. There are a few ways you can begin the process of searching for a chimney sweep in your area. Here are some of the best ways to help shorten your search and find a certified and professional chimney sweep. Start with a Local Search Hiring a local chimney sweep that is well-known in your area will be the first move that you should make. Hiring a chimney sweep that is not well-established in your area could be a risky decision. Another...

Prevent Animals from Entering Your Chimney this Spring and Summer

by Patrick Buell | June 5, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

As the warm weather arrives and nature springs back to life, it's important to be aware of the potential risks posed by animals entering your chimney. Every year, numerous critters seek refuge in chimneys across the United States, causing damage and posing potential hazards. In this blog post, we will shed light on the alarming number of animals that enter homes via chimneys, the damage they can cause, and provide practical tips on preventing such incidents. At SootAway Chimney Sweep, we're committed to safeguarding your home and ensuring a critter-free chimney. Call us today at (866) 345-4751 and take the first step in protecting your home. The Magnitude of the Problem: Each year, thousands of animals find their way into homes through chimneys, creating havoc for homeowners. Common culprits include raccoons, bats, chimney swifts, squirrels, birds, opossums, rats, snakes, and even chipmunks. These intruders not only pose risks to the structural integrity of your chimney but can also...

A First Class Chimney Company

by Patrick Buell | August 14, 2020 | Blogs | 0 Comments

When working in the chimney industry as long as we have you amass a large reputation. Here at SootAway, we pride ourselves on our customer's safety, honest pricing, and the quality of our work. What other companies seem to forget over the years is that customers are the most important part of any business. With this idea as our main philosophy, we have proudly been serving the emerald coast for over forty-one years and counting. But don't take our word for it take Home Advisors! Winning the Best of HomeAdvisor award for 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 (Working to earn the 2020 award) our company strives for perfection. Another goal of SootMaster is to prevent damage, save lives, and homes by providing no-cost, ad-free tips, and information through our blogs. Recently our blog was added onto The Top 25 Chimney Blogs. This verifies us as one of the best chimney sweep information outlets in the world. Our blog provides weekly content on new chimney...

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