My 1957 built cape style home in Massachusetts has 1 fireplace. I bought it about 5 months ago.

With the weather turning colder, should I get the chimney inspected/cleaned prior to use?

How often should this be done?

How much should I expect to pay?

Thanks: e3 - spamman

 

Definitely get an inspection and cleaning done. This should cost about $100. Get a chimney cap installed if there isn't already one on the chimney. This will keep rain, and more importantly, critters out of the chimney.

 

Thanks Jeff. What does a chimney cap consist of? Is it metal or brick? How much do they cost? I am trying to put together our 1st winter "winterizing" budget for my wife and me. Thanks. Peace: e3

 

It has been said a chimney without a cap is like a house without a roof.
Imagine how much water would come into your home during a rainstorm if you had a hole in your roof twelve inches square. Chimney flues may be even larger than that, so where does all that water go? It runs down the chimney and seeps into the bricks and mortar, settling behind the firebricks. There is little air circulation in the chimney (unless you're using it) and no sunlight, so the inside of the chimney stays wet long after the rain stops. This moisture erodes the mortar joints and weakens the brick. Add to this a freeze/thaw cycle during the cold months, and you have all the needed ingredients for a deteriorating chimney.

Take our word for it: even though you can't see the damage happening, it's there, slowly deteriorating your beautiful fireplace and chimney. This is a particularly important consideration if you have a metal firebox incorporating a metal damper and smoke shelf. All fireplace dampers made of metal are subject to this deterioration as the water mixes with creosote and mild acids are formed. Even chimneys serving woodstoves are in need of a cover.

Listed below are several good reasons to have a chimney cap:

Keep out rain, snow and sleet.
Keep out animals and birds.
Keep out leaves, twigs and other debris which could lead to a blockage or chimney fire.
Keep sparks from leaving the chimney and igniting nearby combustibles.
Help eliminate wind induced downdrafts.
Chimney caps are made from a variety of materials. The most common are galvanized, stainless steel, and copper. Caps made of stainless steel and copper will last much longer than those made of regular galvanized metal and normally carry an extended warranty. Spending a little extra for a good quality chimney cap will be money well spent and there will be no danger of rust staining the chimney.

It has been said a chimney without a cap is like a house without a roof. Chimney Caps. Retrieved 13 October 2002. http://www.magic-sweep.com/services/caps.htm

Costs of caps and labor tend to vary from area to area as well as type and size of cap. The above link does list prices for caps, so that may give you an idea as far as budget goes.

 

When It stops raining I will look to see if I already have one. Never looked. Otherwise the prices listed look very affordable for stainless steel units. Especially with the heat of the chimney the SS will hold up better. I am going to call a chimney sweep next week to get that done and install the cap if I do not have one.

I assume they bolt on with masonry screws/bolts? Peace: e3 - spamman

 

The cap is mounted with masonry screws. Also have your damper checked. If it is not sealing well, or is difficult to operate, a chimney top mounted damper is worthwhile. It mounts on top of the chimney (under the cap), has a weatherstrip seal and a wire down to a convenient pull chain and hook for easy use.

I am in northern NJ and two years ago the chimney cleaning and inspection for both flues (fireplace and boiler), installation of the chimney cap and retrofit damper cost $550 including labor and materials.

 

Jeff: Thanks for the help. I still have not refinished the old maytag yet. The house work alone has me busy. I am now onto the baby bedroom. From ugly walls/ceilings to rebuilding a laundry chute in the room. I will post a few questions on that in the proper forum too.

On the chimney, I got a local guy (lives 10 houses away) called Ashes Away. He was very helpful and showed me some damage / errosion (basically an acidic reaction) at the top of the chimney. He installed a SS chimney cap, repaired a little damage at the top (with some mortar) and swept the chimney. Its a nice deep fireplace which I like and it was used quite often in the past. The flue was removed, brushed down, replaced, and the operation is smooth. This was 400 bones.

My final question is: There are some small cracks at the back (approx. 3/8" max wide) of the fireplace. (Probably where it saw the greatest heat) I want to fill them and make it look good. He recommended a refractory "paste". Do they make a caulk applicator that will bond the brick, fill the cracks, and withstand the heat? Also, any idea what the max heat is of a moderate size fire and what the brick should "see"? Thanks all: e3 - spamman

 

Sorry, but I am not familiar with refactory paste materials. I can recommend something for after the repair. Buy a cast iron fireback. They reflect more heat into the room and protect the backwall of the firebox from heat damage. There are a lot of rustic, colonial or victorian styles. I got a star field plate for my bungalow.

 

Jeff: I found a fireplace dark brick colored 1750F max "caulk" refractory material to squeeze into the brick cracks. I will fire the fireplace this weekend to cure the material and then bring in a large fire to test the badboy out.

Also, I am interested in the fireplace fireback you mentioned. Can you e-mail me any photos of one installed? eperry3@attbi.com

 

Try here:

http://www.firebacks.com/index.html

http://www.americanchimneysweeps.com..._firebacks.htm

http://hartshearth.com/firebacks.htm

For shipping and handling reasons, I recommend choosing one you see online (there seems to be two real manufacturers) and compare the cost form ordering one from your local fireplace store. The store mark-up may be small compared to shipping and handling.