Summer is past and the glorious days of fall are here. The air is sweet and crisp, and sometimes smells of bonfires and burning leaves. Colorful fall leaves, and bright orange decorations are on doorsteps and in gardens as homeowners decorate their houses and yards. It’s time to roast marshmallows over the fire, dig out sweatshirts, and snuggling up in front of a warm, crackling fire. Before you know it, you’ll be making plans for that special Thanksgiving feast. From picking out the biggest turkey to researching recipes, the big day is almost here. With all that holiday planning ahead, even getting one thing out of the way makes the holiday season easier.Thanksgiving meals include a lot of preparation, make sure to have your chimney inspected as part of the process!

Preparations to Take

The big question is this: have you had your fireplace inspected and cleaned in preparation for the upcoming fall holiday? Sometimes in summer craziness, it’s easy to forget about routine things that need to be done each year. One of those things is having your annual chimney inspection and sweeping completed. At Black Velvet Chimney, we understand how easy it is to put things off, and that’s why we want to encourage you to get your annual chimney sweeping scheduled today.

When we come in to inspect your chimney, we will look closely to ensure that there is no damage to any of the important parts of the chimney system. Such parts include the chimney cap and crown, the damper system, the flashing, and the flue liner. If any of these are cracked or loose, the safety and efficiency of your fireplace could be in jeopardy. Another thing we’ll be looking for is creosote buildup.

Creosote is a natural byproduct of wood smoke. Wood emits water and chemicals as it burns which is what causes buildups in the chimney.  The wetter the wood is, the more moisture will be released so it is burning thoroughly cured wood is important. However, when the smoke hits the surface of the chimney, it condenses and turns into a substance called creosote, which is extremely flammable. This can create a dangerous situation where a chimney fire can occur. We’ll want to make sure that all the creosote is cleared out of your chimney.

Ready for Thanksgiving

You can see how important it is to get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday by making sure that your chimney is cleaned and in great working condition. Just imagine how wonderful it will be to get together with all your relatives and reminisce in front of a cozy fire while you finish the night with pumpkin pie and a good cup of coffee. Black Velvet Chimney can help make that a reality!