Springtime is fix-it time! It always feels good to do some deep-down spring cleaning, and as you clean, you’ll notice things that need repair. You might notice some loose trim as you wash your walls and woodwork or some paint that needs to be touched up. There’s always something outdoors that needs fixing up, whether it’s some trim work on the house or some work on the flowerbeds or landscaping. There are some things that we can’t see that need repair as well. Unfortunately, too often those types of repair hit when you least expect it. There’s no predicting a furnace breakdown, and when you need heat, you need heat. Same with your air conditioner. There’s never a good time for your transmission to go out, either! Another area where it’s difficult to actually see the repairs that need to be done is in your chimney’s smoke chamber. That’s where we come in. At Old Dominion Chimneys, we are trained to spot any necessary repairs and then get them fixed up so you can continue to enjoy those cozy fireplace evenings next winter.
Smoke Chamber Repairs
So, what is a smoke chamber and where is it located in your chimney? The smoke chamber is below the flue and above the damper and throat. It’s sloped on three sides and flat on the back. Its purpose is to guide the smoke out through the flue. Your smoke chamber should be very smooth and not cracked or chipped because those cracks and chips can actually catch the smoke particles
When we come in and look at your smoke chamber, the big thing we’ll be looking for is whether the walls are smooth. Because of the sloped walls, the surface of the front and sides were sometimes constructed in a step-like progression called corbelling. The thing is, this uneven progression upwards impedes the progress of the smoke up and out of your chimney. Because of this, you may be looking at a thicker creosote buildup inside the smoke chamber, and that’s a chimney fire just waiting to happen.
The way to take care of this issue is to have your smoke chamber parged. Parging is a method of smoothing out your smoke chamber walls by applying a layer or layers of mortar to leave a smooth surface. An added benefit of this technique is that it will cover any cracks, nicks, or chips so that there is a completely smooth surface for the smoke to travel through.
Expert Service
At Old Dominion Chimneys we have had lots of experience in repairing and parging smoke chambers. This is a job that can take place at any time, so if you are looking to check off your list of springtime repairs, smoke chamber repair is one job we can take care of right away. Give us a call today or contact us online and reap the benefits of our expertise and experience!
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