It’s so pleasant to sit in your living area on a warm summer evening with the breeze blowing in, bringing with it the soft fragrance of flowers or freshly mowed grass. What could be more relaxing? But one thing that can really put a damper on that pleasant experience is smelling something entirely different And forget about having company over until you find the source. It’s just embarrassing! However, if the room you’re in happens to have a fireplace, there is a pretty simple explanation and a simple solution to the problem. Your chimney is very likely the culprit, and Black Velvet Chimney has the solution!
How Does the Odor Build Up?
Over the course of the winter, you use your fireplace a lot. That means there’s a lot of smoke heating up your chimney, and that means lots of creosote buildup. Smoke is made up of water vapor that burns out of your wood when combustion happens; the greater the water content, the more smoke that is produced. This is one reason that it’s so important to make sure that your firewood is cured for at least six months, and more if possible. Along with that water vapor are lots of chemicals. When this mix hits the top of your chimney’s interior, where it’s cooler, it condenses and forms a layer of black or brown gunk, which is highly flammable creosote. Besides being flammable, however, creosote also has a very distinct, unpleasant odor. When Black Velvet Chimney technicians clean your chimney, we’ll get rid of that creosote buildup.
Another Source of Odor
Another reason that you could be getting unpleasant odors from your chimney is because of birds or animals. Your chimney holds a natural appeal for wildlife. It’s warm, dark, and offers protection from wind and rain, as well as from natural predators. This is a great place for an animal to build a nest. This can be a problem for homeowners. These animals can make noise, especially when the new family members are little. Not only can they make noise, but they can also create an odor. Obviously, the animals or birds that are nesting in your chimney will be leaving droppings, and that can smell pretty bad. They can also get stuck in your chimney, which is an even bigger odor problem. If an animal can’t get out of your chimney, it may actually die in there, and the decomposing body will have a strong odor. We can help you get rid of these odor issues as well, and we can also offer solutions, such as a new chimney cap, which will keep critters from getting into your chimney.
If you’re experiencing home odor issues, give us a call soon and we’ll get to the source of that problem in no time at all! Call Black Velvet Chimney today!
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