Will I Need More Than A Chimney Sweep?

Should I Be Worried? Will I Need More Than A Chimney Sweep?

We worked with a couple recently that bought a home out of foreclosure in Plainfield, IL. Because of all the other issues they were facing with getting their new home up to snuff including replacing just about everything in the home, they were very worried that the chimney would be in as bad shape as some of the other problems they had remedied. With a bit of hesitation of what we might find during the inspection, the homeowners had us come out and do an inspection and cleaning.
To their surprise, the structure of the chimney was sound. One issue they discussed was the back puffing that sometimes occurs when they first light a fire, as explained here. We did explain a few simple solutions to get the smoke drafting up the chimney instead of into their home.

They are:
1) Crack a window to get a cross draft going prior to starting the fire
2) Wave a lit piece of newspaper up towards the flue before lighting the fire

We did advise these Plainfield, IL homeowners that they should budget for a chimney extension at some point, but we did not advise it as an immediate concern considering their financial situation with the other repairs to their home. This is something that should have been noted on the home inspection, however, the home inspector did not know or did not see that their chimney was a bit short.

Our Illinois weather is very tough on the masonry of our homes. The long periods of spring and fall weather that that rotates between freezing and blazing sun that our Illinois spring and autumn bring. This drastic change in temperatures is hard on the mortar and deteriorates it more quickly than a constant temperature.

These homeowners had the right to be concerned about the potential damages that they might be facing, but they did right by bringing in a Certified Chimney Sweep®. Not only did they get a clean chimney, but they also got a few fireplace tips and some peace of mind.