Common Terms
If you are new to chimney cleaning, there may be a few terms and activities that you should get familiar with. Here’s everything you should know:
Chimney Cleaning
Having your chimney swept is a vital process to protect your home from the possibility of a chimney fire occurring. A chimney sweep removes the combustible deposits called soot or creosote from your chimney by either brushing or using another mechanical tool to sweep the soot or creosote down.
Chimney Liner
A flue liner in a masonry chimney is defined as “a clay, ceramic, or metal conduit installed inside of a chimney, intended to contain the combustion products, direct them to the outside atmosphere, and protect the chimney walls from heat and corrosion.”
Fireplace Smoke Chamber
In most fireplaces, it can be viewed by shining a strong light up through the damper. Its function is to safely transition smoke and hot gases from your fireplace to the narrow flue of your chimney.
Also seen as “tuckpointing” is a repair process that stops the destructive process and provides numerous benefits.
Is Tuck Pointing Necessary?
While bricks on a chimney last about a century, mortar has a much shorter lifespan.
Chimney Crown
The crown plays a vital role in the protection of your chimney by sealing off the top portion of your chimney and shedding water away from the masonry construction.
Spalling Bricks
When a brick starts to fall apart as evidenced by a flaking surface and begins to literally disintegrate, this is known as spalling. Spalling occurs when moisture from rain, melting snow, or even wet soil saturates and penetrates the brick.
If you need any of the services or need more information about tuck pointing or chimney inspection, know you can always reach JPL Masonry at (630) 901-4134. We cover Bensenville, IL and many of the surrounding areas.