Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Closing Out Your Fireplace For The Season

Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. However, spring will be here before we know it! As warmer temperatures arrive, many homeowners will stop using their fireplaces until the following fall.

Simply closing the glass doors and putting the wood and fireplace tools away isn’t enough. Take the time to close out your fireplace and chimney for the season. These four easy steps will ensure your fireplace is ready to use again in the fall.

Clean the fireplace.

This might seem obvious, but cleaning the fireplace is the best way to close out your fireplace for the season. Remove any remaining ashes or soot from the fireplace. Now may be the time to bust out the Shop Vac. This is to get into the nooks, crannies, and corners of your unit. In addition, take the time to clean your fireplace tools, pokers, log racks, ash containers, and more.

In addition to cleaning out the fireplace, spring is a great season to have your chimney swept. After a long winter of use, most chimneys are in need of a good sweeping; having your chimney swept in the spring can remove deposits of ash, soot, and flammable creosote from inside the flue, leaving your chimney ready for use again in the fall.

Inspect the chimney.

With a combination of freezing temperatures and exposure to snow and ice, winter is the toughest season on your chimney season. Because of this, most masonry damage occurs during the winter months; having your chimney inspected in the spring can ensure that your chimney’s bricks and mortar are free from cracks, chips, holes, or other signs of water damage.

In addition to checking your masonry for signs of damage, a chimney inspection will evaluate the other accessible interior and exterior portions of your fireplace and chimney system. This can also be used as a useful tool in diagnosing any ongoing performance problems such as drafts, leaks, odors, and more.

Close the damper.

When your wood burning fireplace is not in use, the damper should be closed. Closing the damper tightly ensures that no conditioned air from your home is being lost up the chimney. Also, that no outside air is coming in and affecting your home’s temperature. Using a damper in combination with glass doors can help create an even tighter seal between your home and outside air.

Turn off the pilot light.

If you have a gas fireplace, it has a pilot light. The pilot light is a small flame that remains lit at all times when the unit is connected. This allows the fire to ignite when the fireplace is turned on. While it is small, the pilot light continues to use energy the entire time it is lit. If you do not plan on using your fireplace for several months, you may save energy by turning off the unit. In addition, turning off the pilot light completely.

Spring is just around the corner; call Clean Sweeps of Michigan today and schedule your appointment to help close down your fireplace for the season!

The Importance Of Reviewing Your Chimney Sweep

Have you recently hired Clean Sweeps of Michigan to sweep, inspect, or repair your fireplace system? Did you shop with us to find a new fireplace, insert, or stove for your home? If so, we ask that our customers take a few minutes to review our service! While it may seem unimportant – or even a minor inconvenience – reviewing your chimney sweep is beneficial to your chimney sweep, your friends and neighbors in the community, and even your future services!

Why reviewing your chimney sweep is important

Writing a review of your chimney sweep only takes a few minutes, but can help your friends and neighbors find the best service possible. The following are three reasons why reviewing your chimney sweep is important.

1. Help others find the right chimney sweep. Most people now search for services, including chimney sweeps, online. Leaving a detailed review of your services can help others find the right chimney company. Likewise, writing reviews can also help other community members avoid chimney sweeping scams.
2. Help the business improve. If there was a way your service could have been better, writing a detailed and constructive review can help the company improve service in the future. Likewise, if you had an outstanding experience a 5-star review can help ensure your chimney sweep gets recognition for his work.
3. Help small business thrive. Small businesses grow and thrive off of word of mouth; writing a review for a small business is like giving your recommendation to your friends and neighbors!

Leaving a constructive review

A well-written review can help future customers make a decision on who to hire – as well as help the business recognize areas of outstanding service or how they could improve in the future. The following three tips can help you write a thorough, constructive review of your chimney sweep services.

1. Avoid writing when upset. If you’ve had bad service, it can be tempting to immediately write a scathing review online. Instead, try contacting the company directly first; most businesses will do whatever they can to correct and resolve the situation. After doing this, write a review detailing the original problem – as well as how the company responded; waiting until your emotions have cooled down can allow you to write a more objective, constructive review.
2. Include specific details. Include specific details in your review to provide a context for the service you received. What season was your appointment in? Who was your chimney sweep? Was he on time and courteous? Were all of your questions answered? Was the estimated cost close to the final bill? Providing specific examples and information paints a thorough picture of the service you received.
3. Avoid errors. Many people skim over reviews that are riddled with errors. To make sure your opinion is heard, double check a review for grammatical or spelling mistakes before posting it. Typing a review in a word processing program first can help you spot any errors before posting.

At Clean Sweeps of Michigan, we value feedback from our clients.