Services
How we clean chimneys in Lock Arbor
Fire safety guidance and the maker's instructions, applied to chimney cleaning in Lock Arbor.
Handling ashes between cleanings
Ashes can hold live embers long after a fire looks dead. The National Fire Protection Association's heating safety tips put it simply: wait for ashes to cool, carry them out in a metal container, and set that container well away from the house.
A metal can with a lid, set outside on bare ground away from walls, decks and the woodpile, is a simple habit that prevents a lot of trouble. A thin bed of ash can stay in the firebox, but clear the rest regularly so it does not crowd the grate or the air feeding the fire. Our sweeps can show you what to keep and what to remove. If you are unsure whether the ash is cold, leave it another day before moving it.
Getting ready for your sweep
Please let the fireplace go cold before we arrive. We ask that no fire be lit the evening before a morning visit, and the ash can stay where it is, since we clear it ourselves as part of the cleaning.
Clear the mantel of fragile items, keep pets in another room and let us know about anything that affects roof access, such as a locked gate or a dog in the yard. If the fireplace has glass doors or a screen that is hard to remove, tell us when you book. A little preparation keeps the visit short and the room clean. If we should use a particular entrance or park in a certain spot, mention that too.
The walk-through when we finish
Before we pack up, we show you the cleaned firebox, explain what came out of the flue and point out anything that needs attention. The drop cloths come up carefully and folded inward so no soot is shaken onto the floor.
Your service notes list the flue cleaned, the condition of the damper, smoke shelf and cap, and any repair we recommend, each with its own price. Keep them with your house records. Should anything in the room look different from how we found it, point it out before we go and we will fix it right then, under our 100% satisfaction guarantee. We also tell you when your next cleaning or inspection is likely to be worthwhile, based on what we found.
