With spring solidly in the air and hot weather on the way, your fireplace has seen the last of its use until the first cool days of fall. However, that doesn’t mean that you should just ignore it. There are several steps you should consider as you close up the chimney system in your New Braunfels home for the summer that will help get it ready for next fall while helping you improve energy efficiency through the hot summer months.
Closing Your Chimney System Up for the Season
Remove Debris
That last fire may have left some great memories, but it probably also left some debris behind. Allow any coals or wood to cool completely before using a metal shovel to remove as much debris as possible, disposing of it safely. One option is turning it into your garden, as hardwood ash is a great source of calcium and potassium, as well as raising low pH.
But why is it important to remove the debris from your fireplace? Left in place, the ash and debris can cause staining and even some damage to your masonry in your fireplace due to compounds in the materials. You may also want to scrub the fascia around your fireplace opening if it has soot or ash on it to restore its beautiful appearance.
Clean it Up
Many people choose to wait until fall to get their fireplace swept and inspected, and that’s okay if you have to go that route. However, there are a number of problems with that approach as well, including difficulty scheduling, problems with getting parts for repairs, and similar issues that can prevent you from immediately enjoying your fireplace.
By scheduling seasonal maintenance services for your New Braunfels chimney system in the spring, any parts can be ordered in a timely manner, upgrades to your system can be handled, and the entire process can be scheduled at your convenience. Instead of scrambling at the first cold night, you can be sitting back in front of a nice, cozy fire.
Get Repairs Scheduled
If your system does need to be repaired, waiting for fall can mean a long wait because of how busy most chimney professionals are during that part of the year. If parts need to be ordered in, there may be delays or backorders because of everyone else getting work done at the same time.
Those are just a few of the reasons why we recommend that you have the work done over the spring and summer months when it can be scheduled at times that are convenient for you. This also gives you time to budget for more expensive repairs, preventing unhappy surprises in the fall when you want to enjoy your fireplace.
Close the Damper
Though you probably do this between fires to keep warm air inside of your home, closing your damper, and closing it tightly, is important in the summer as well. Though the laws of thermodynamics states that hot air rises, that doesn’t mean that your air conditioning won’t suffer during a hot, humid Texas summer.
Closing your damper tightly at the end of the season doesn’t just keep heat from blowing down your chimney, it also keeps the humidity in that air from entering your home. That humidity can cause bad smells when mixed with creosote in your chimney as well as make your AC unit work harder to remove the excess moisture.
Cover the Fireplace Opening
If you don’t have a tight set of doors or a fireplace insert that can close up the front of your fireplace, adding a set of glass doors or a removable door to the front of your fireplace can actually help improve your home’s energy efficiency. That’s because it creates an insulating zone of non-moving air between the outside of your damper and the inside of your home.
This blockage can be decorative as well, such as a painted or stained wood panel, an artistic piece, or similar approach that looks wonderful in the off season and can be safely stored when your fireplace is in use during those cold winter months. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with!
By taking a little time now to prepare your chimney system for next fall, you’ll be in great shape to enjoy your fireplace in those first cool autumn days, when your neighbors are scrambling to get their systems ready to start. If you need help with your chimney system in New Braunfels this spring, the experienced technicians at Wolfman Chimney & Fireplace are always happy to help. Why not reach out today to chat with our friendly team?
Reach us online, send us a text, or call us at 830-620-4335 today!
