One tries to avoid having a hole in the ceiling.
And yet, thousands of fireplaces in this area lack a functional throat damper. Even if you do not plan on ever using your fireplace, the heat you pay for finds its way up and out of your home. Currents of warm air will slip passed glass doors. Even mostly functional throat dampers are rarely airtight; we here at Mike’s Clean Sweeps are no strangers to homeowners stuffing an old pillow in a garbage bag and sticking into the throat of the fireplace in an effort to stop heat loss. Why do these metal components seem to disintegrate so easily?
The Problem
Sulphuric acid, among the acids produced when rainwater mixes with creosote accumulation, eats its way through dampers and ash dumps. A spark arrestor/chimney cap not only prevents water entry but also contains embers as they rise with flue gases. We carry and install a variety of caps, from black galvanized to stainless steel to copper; we have the spark arrestor to match your gutters and suit your home décor.
What We Do
Chimney caps also keep the critters out! That’s right folks, raccoons, bats, and birds are all known to cozy up in chimneys—and spread unpleasant diseases. One can imagine how a bird’s nest could supply unwanted fuel to a fire! If you don’t want a raccoon in your living room, call Mike’s Clean Sweeps!
Investing in the installation of a chimney termination cap now can save quite a bit in the long run, especially given how sulphuric acid also helps to erode mortar joints between the terracotta tiles that line the chimney flue. Sometimes when throat dampers become frozen in place due to rust they must be cut out with power tools. The new, top-mounted damper assembly sits within the chimney cap and is spring-mounted. A sheathed steel cable runs down the chimney to a catch bolted into the sidewall of the firebox. When the ball and chain at the end of the cable is pulled down and secured in the catch, the spring-loaded pan is brought down flush with the gasketed-edge of the top-most flue tile for a nice, air-tight seal. Save on your utility bills by plugging that hole in your ceiling. Call Mike’s Clean Sweeps today!
