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The Warning Signs That It’s Time for Chimney Repair Birmingham
Do I Need Chimney Repair Birmingham?
Repairing a property’s chimney can seem like a daunting and potentially expensive expense for you to have to pay for. However you are not alone. Most properties in the UK have a chimney, with them being popular in previous years. Although, if your property has a chimney that has been boarded up, it is still your responsibility to ensure that it is safe. Here at Turner Baker, we have over 25 years experience in advising, chimney repair Birmingham and installing chimney flue liners. If you’re interested in a professional chimney survey to evaluate the state of your chimney or flue liner, please call us on 01432 839123.
Looking After Your Chimney
Here at Turner Baker, we understand that looking after your property’s chimney can be confusing and difficult. There are many external and internal reasons that could lead to your chimney becoming damaged. It is not just the people inside your property that are at danger when they are near a damaged chimney, but those around the exterior of your property. The damage can weaken the structure and cause parts to break off. One of our top tips for looking after your chimney is to have it regularly swept. The frequency of its’ sweeping depends on the fuel used:
- 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
You must be aware that it is not just the gases and fuels that damage your chimney, but also natural causes, just like any other part of your property. Please check out our guide for how to spot when your chimney needs repairing.
Can you smell smoke?
The smell of smoke in your property can mean that there is something wrong with your chimney or flue liner. The flue liner is an integral part of your chimney as it secures the inside so that no smoke or harmful gases should escape. However, similarly to the exterior of your chimney, the interior which includes the flue liner can deteriorate and become damaged. Turner Baker are here to advise and install new flue liners to the properties in and around Cheltenham
A Chimney Fire has Occurred
A slow burning chimney fire can go unnoticed in your property. A chimney fire can start from blockages stopping smoke from leaving the chimney and sparks igniting the blockage. It can be then exacerbated by the lack of air and fuel. Temperatures inside of your chimney during a chimney fire can reach the incredible heights of 1,100 degrees Celsius. Damage isn’t sometimes visible on the chimney breast, however this is uncommon and it is very likely that the 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 Bricks and Other Blockages
Weathering and general ageing can speed up the process of deterioration of your chimney’s main structure. If you notice that your brickwork or mortar is beginning to crumble or wear away, this could mean that the smoke from your fire is now able to leak into other rooms of your property, and spread the harmful gases around.. We recommend having your chimney lined if this is the case. It is also common for loose bricks and mortar to fall inside and create blockages. These blockages can stop the smoke from your fire exiting up through the chimney, which will then cool and leave thick deposits attached to the chimney walls. A build up can increase the risk of a chimney fire so we recommend a chimney sweep to remove these.
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 Birmingham Solutions for Common Problems
To solve a majority of the problems mentioned above, we recommend having your chimney professionally lined by Turner Baker. This is the best method of protecting the internal structure of your chimney or flue.
A flue liner, in simple terms, is just a tube that fits down inside an existing chimney or even an existing flue in an older property. They are available in a variety of different materials including stainless steel, pumice, silica polymer and thermosetting resin. Our team of chimney experts are able to advise you on the best one for your property.
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 Birmingham services, and we will be happy to advise you on the system that is right for you.