Chimneys serve a very important purpose in your home. They provide a safe way to allow smoke from a stove, furnace, or fireplace to escape to the outside. They also allow excess heat to safely vent outside. Similar to other parts of your home, chimneys also need to be maintained. A neglected chimney can quickly become a safety hazard and put your entire home at risk. A chimney fire can quickly expand to other parts of your home, especially if your chimney is damaged. If your chimney needs repairs, you may be tempted to do the work yourself. You may think that you can save some money on chimney repair costs by doing the work yourself. However, chimney repair is one part of housework that is best left to a professional chimney sweep. A small mistake in the repair could result in a catastrophe for your home. Here are five reasons you should hire an expert to repair your chimney.
- Safety – This is by far the most important reason. A chimney expert is going to have the tools and skills necessary to correctly repair your chimney and make sure that it is working correctly to keep your family safe. An incorrect repair can be more dangerous than the issue that was being repaired.
- Analysis – A chimney expert is going to have the experience to accurately determine all the repairs needed to bring your chimney back into working order. While you may only see issues on the surface of your chimney, the expert will look for signs that there is a deeper problem that you may have missed.
- Timing – If you need brick and mortar repairs on your chimney, an expert is going to understand the timing requirements for making those repairs. The mortar frequently needs to be installed in specific weather conditions to cure properly. If it gets wet too quickly or is not warm enough, it can weaken or damage the new mortar.
- Efficiency – Similar to timing, a chimney expert will be able to complete the repairs in a timely manner. What may take you several days and numerous trips to the hardware store may only take an expert a day to complete. He will likely have all the supplies with him so he can complete it quickly and efficiently.
- Warranty – Your chimney repair will most likely come with a warranty. This warranty means that if something goes wrong during the warranty period, you will not have to pay to have it corrected. If you do the work yourself, you will also be responsible for paying for any issues that arise out of the repair.
A chimney repair needs to be taken very seriously. A damaged chimney puts your entire home at risk. A chimney fire could move into your home and become a house fire. Cracks in your chimney could allow smoke to enter into your home and damage it. A chimney that is not maintained could eventually fall down, causing damage to your home as it falls. You need to reconsider if you are contemplating repairing your chimney yourself. This is one job that needs to be left to a chimney expert.