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The Warning Signs That It’s Time for Chimney Repair Cheltenham
Chimney Repair Cheltenham Warning Signs
A chimney is an common feature on most properties in Cheltenham, particularly older ones. In previous years, the chimney was an integral part of a property as it facilitated the generation of heat for warmth and cooking. Nowadays, chimneys in the Cheltenham are mostly used for aesthetic reasons; such as a wood-burning stove or an open fire. Many chimneys remain in many properties unused, or even taken down if no longer used. No matter it’s use, a chimney has to be maintained and looked after correctly. Here at Turner Baker, we have over 25 years in chimney repair Cheltenham and can install a huge variety of different flue liners. If you’re interested in a chimney survey to evaluate the state of your chimney or flue liner, please call us on 01242 649660.
Looking After Your Chimney
Your chimney needs to be looked after and looked after well. There are many reasons that your chimney may become damaged, both from the inside and the outside. A damaged chimney is also a weaker and less safe chimney, which means it could become a potential risk to people inside or outside the property. There are number of different fuels that you are able to use with open fires and stoves. However, these each require thorough chimney sweeping at different frequencies of the year:
- Smokeless fuel – At least once a year
- Wood – Quarterly when in use
- Bituminous coal – Quarterly when in use
- Oil – Once a year
- Gas – Once a year
Chimneys and flues deteriorate over time from natural causes, just like any other part of your property. Below are some signs that your chimney needs repairing.
Smell of smoke when a fire has been lit
If the smell smoke is present in other rooms of your property when your fire is lit, it is likely that the pipe running up inside the chimney, also known as your flue, is leaking or broken. You must remember that the inside of your chimney is liable to degrade with general aging and use in similarly to how the external structure does. The main solution to protecting the internal chimney structure or flue and to ensure that it is safe to use is to have it professionally lined.
You’ve had a chimney fire
A chimney fire may occur in your property and you might not even know about it. When the flame doesn’t have enough air oe fuel, it can create a slow burning chimney fire, however they can still cause substantial damage to your property. Temperatures can reach the incredible heights of 1,100 degrees Celsius during a chimney fire. Any nearby flammable materials can be ignited by the heat being radiated through walls, as well as passed on by sparks. Damage isn’t always visible on the chimney breast, it is very likely that damage will have occurred inside the chimney following a chimney fire. We recommend having your chimney inspected using a CCTV inspection regularly to ensure the integrity of your chimney and the flue inside.
Loose Masonry
Bricks are renown for degrading and crumbling over time, similarly does the mortar that holds them together. If you notice that your brickwork or mortar is beginning to wear, this could mean smoke is now able to leak into other rooms of your property. We recommend having your chimney lined if this is the case. Similarly, loose bricks and mortar can fall inside and create blockages. These blockages will stop the smoke from your fire exiting up through the chimney, which will then cool and leave thick deposits on the chimney walls. This is not good. A build up can increase the risk of a chimney fire.
Smoke billows down into the room
Having a blockage in your chimney can also force the dangerous gases in smoke to enter the other rooms of your property. If this is the case, then we strongly recommend having your chimney swept to release this blockage and release the gases up through your chimney. Having your chimney regularly swept will remove soot, birds’ nests, cobwebs and any other blockages, which will help to prevent chimney fires and smoke/harmful gases from penetrating your property.
Structural damage to the chimney stack
Smoke from your fire contains highly acidic compounds which can attack the mortar and masonry weakening the structure of the whole chimney, when deposited onto the masonry of the flue. This can leave a chimney stack in a very unstable state, especially combined with natural weathering. The result could be either damage to the faces of some of the brickwork, the loosening of the bricks, or even the collapse of the entire chimney stack.
Similarly, it is important to remember that the inside of your chimney will degrade with age and use in much the same way as the external structure does. If your chimney and flue is very old and has been used to burn coal in the past it may also have issues with salt deposits, which continue to wear away at the brickwork long after being deposited.
More information on different types of chimney problem can be found here
Chimney Repair Cheltenham Solutions for Common Problems
Having your chimney professionally lined by Turner Baker is the key to protecting the internal structure of your chimney or flue.
A flue liner is simply a tube that fits down inside an existing chimney or even an existing flue in an older property. Flue liners are available in a variety of different materials including stainless steel, pumice, silica polymer and thermosetting resin.
Flue liners are now obligatory for new builds so that they are in accordance with building regulations Document J. This means that if you are building a new property with a chimney that you intend to use for heating purposes then it must be suitably lined.
Here at Turner Baker, we are fully qualified to install a variety of different flue limers. These include:
Please call Turner Baker Ltd on 01432 839123 if you are interested in any of these lining products or would like to inquire about our chimney repair Cheltenham services, and we will be happy to advise you on the system that is right for you.