Real estate agents understand how essential chimney inspections are to the home sale process, which is why they recommend them to their home sellers. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t think about the inside of their chimney unless something goes wrong. During a pre-sale or pre-listing home inspection, there are numerous common chimney issues that are discovered.
The Most Common Chimney Issues
- Obstruction: A wide range of things can lead to chimney obstruction, including bird nests, leaves or creosote accumulation. Blockage in a chimney is very dangerous, as it can prevent deadly fumes like carbon monoxide from leaving the home. Thankfully, in most cases, blockage is easy to resolve by a chimney professional.
- Creosote: Creosote is a very dangerous and flammable substance that will naturally accumulate in your chimney when you burn wood. A number of factors influence how much and how quickly creosote accumulates, but without a proper cleaning, it will naturally occur. When there is an accumulation of creosote, a professional chimney sweep can clean the chimney and remove it.
- Masonry Issues: A chimney that is not properly maintained will often have brickwork or masonry issues as a result. Tuckpointing is a very common procedure on old chimneys, and it involves removing old and damaged mortar and replacing it with new mortar to improve chimney stability. In some cases, masonry is so damaged that the bricks will need to be replaced altogether.
- Missing Chimney Cap: A chimney cap should be installed on any chimney in order to ensure longevity and prevent things from entering the chimney. Chimney caps reduce the chance of leaves, yard debris and animals from getting inside of the flue, fireplace or home. If a chimney cap is damaged, it should be replaced. If there is no chimney cap, it is recommended that your home seller install one.
- Flue Cracks: Chimney linings undergo a tremendous amount of stress, including high heat and creosote deposits. When moisture combines with creosote, the chimney lining will deteriorate. Clean Sweep uses the latest technology to examine the flue and make sure it is in good condition.
Clean Sweep Is Here to Help!
Call Clean Sweep Maryland today at 410-558-1111 for professional chimney sweep, slate roofing and duct cleaning services designed to keep all of your listed properties clean and safe for sellers and buyers. If you have a prospective home buyer or home seller in need of a slate roof inspection or repairs, we are here to help.