Getting Your Chimney Ready for Heating Season

Why fall is the time

Furnaces, boilers and fireplaces in New Jersey sit idle from roughly April to October. Over the summer, birds nest in uncapped flues, storms loosen caps and flashing, and humid weather brings out odors and rust. The first fire or the first furnace cycle of the season is when those problems show up.

The national chimney standard, NFPA 211, calls for an inspection at least once a year, as CSIA summarizes it. The U.S. Fire Administration and the CPSC both advise yearly professional inspection of heating equipment and chimneys. Fall works well because anything found still has time to be fixed before you need heat.

Checks you can do yourself

Do these with the fireplace and appliances cold. Do not go on the roof.

1. Test your alarmsPress the test button on every smoke and CO alarm. CPSC recommends CO alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas. Replace batteries or units as the maker directs.
2. Look at the chimney from the groundUse binoculars or a phone zoom. Look for a missing or tilted cap, loose or missing brick, crumbling mortar, broken crown pieces, dark streaks or white staining, and lifted flashing where the chimney meets the roof.
3. Check the gutters and roof near the chimneyPieces of brick, mortar or concrete, or rusty metal, suggest something above is breaking down.
4. Open and close the damperIt should move freely, open fully and close without dropping. Look up with a flashlight for daylight, debris, nesting material or anything hanging down.
5. Look at the fireboxCheck for cracked or missing firebrick, open joints, and rust or water stains that suggest a leak above.
6. Check the hearth and surroundingsLook for cracks in the hearth extension. Move rugs, furniture, decorations and stored items away. USFA advises keeping anything that can burn at least 3 feet from fireplaces and stoves.
7. Check the screen and doorsMake sure the screen closes fully and glass doors are not cracked.
8. Look at your firewoodTest a few split pieces with a moisture meter. EPA recommends 20 percent or less.
9. Look at the furnace or boiler vent pipeWithout touching hot parts, check that the metal pipe from the appliance to the chimney is connected, not sagging and not heavily rusted.

A short kit to have on hand

• A bright flashlight for looking up the damper.
• A firewood moisture meter.
• A metal ash container with a lid, for ashes once they have cooled.
• A fireplace screen or doors that fit the opening.
• Fresh batteries for alarms.
• A fire extinguisher you know how to use.

What a professional inspection covers

The checks above catch what is visible from the room and the yard. A professional inspection reaches the parts you cannot. CSIA's published Level 1 checklists for masonry chimneys and fireplaces include:

• The cap, termination and chimney height.
• The crown and flashing condition.
• Flue cleanliness, blockages and visible liner condition.
• Smoke chamber and liner support.
• Damper operation and condition.
• Firebox, hearth extension and clearances to combustible trim.
• For stoves and furnaces: connector pipe condition, rise and clearances.

On our visits, the assessment includes a camera look up the flue when the flue allows it and roof and attic checks when they are safe and accessible. You get findings with photos before any repair is scheduled. Sweeping is done when the inspection shows it is needed. See How often should a chimney be swept?

Homeowner checks vs. professional checks

Don't forget the other flues

Fall checklists usually focus on the fireplace, but in many New Jersey homes the busiest flue in the chimney serves the furnace or boiler. It runs every day all winter, often unattended.

• Oil heat. Oil-fired systems can leave soot and scale at the base of the flue. These flues are usually checked and cleaned around the time of annual burner service. See furnace and boiler flue cleaning.
• Gas heat and water heaters. Look for a clear, connected vent pipe and no signs of moisture or rust at the chimney base. A new high-efficiency furnace that vents out the side wall can leave a water heater alone in a large flue, which is worth checking. See The orphaned water heater problem.
• Gas fireplaces and logs. Follow the manufacturer's annual service instructions, and check that the vent termination outside is not blocked by plants, nests or debris. See gas fireplace service.
• Dryer vents. Not a chimney, but the same season of heavy use. A clogged dryer vent is its own hazard. See dryer vent cleaning.

When to stop and call before the first fire

• The damper is stuck, broken or will not open fully.
• You see nesting material, hear animals, or something is blocking the flue.
• Pieces of tile or brick are falling into the firebox or smoke shelf.
• There was a chimney fire, lightning strike, earthquake or a major storm since the last inspection.
• Water came into the firebox, attic or ceilings near the chimney.
• You replaced a furnace, boiler or water heater, or added a stove or insert.

Do not light a fire or run a connected appliance until a problem like these is checked. If a CO alarm sounds at any point, get everyone outside and call 911. For animals specifically, see Animals and nests in the chimney.

During the season

• Open the damper fully before every fire and leave it open until the ashes are cold.
• Burn small, bright fires with dry wood.
• Handle ashes only once cooled, in a metal container with a lid, and keep it away from the house and anything that can burn.
• If you burn heavily, have buildup checked partway through the winter.
• Pay attention to changes: new smoke in the room, odors, sounds or a damper that starts to stick.

Ready to schedule your seasonal visit? See chimney inspection and chimney cleaning, or request a time on the Book Now page. A team member will contact you to confirm.

Questions homeowners ask

Sources

1. CSIA: Homeowner FAQs
2. CSIA: Level 1 inspection checklist, masonry chimney (PDF)
3. U.S. Fire Administration: Heating fire safety
4. U.S. CPSC: Carbon Monoxide Information Center
5. U.S. EPA Burn Wise: Best wood-burning practices

This guide is general information. It can't diagnose a specific chimney; an inspection can.