Frequently Asked Questions

It depends: According to The National Fire Protection Agency, they recommend that airtight stoves be cleaned twice a burning season and annual cleanings for fireplaces or at least annual inspections.

Heat stress to mortar joints, and/or cracked flue tiles, damage to brick, block, or other masonry, possible fire in the wall, flooring, rafter, attic or even total loss of the home.

Annual cleaning and/or inspection by a chimney specialist to make sure that there aren’t any new problems. If there are problems, make sure that they’re fixed by a professional chimney sweep company.

A crown is the cement top that completes the chimney system, keeping moisture from entering the chase. It's necessary to keep this in good condition as water can get in cracks and then freeze. Thaw cycles cause major problems to chimney masonry.

Masonry products soak up moisture like a sponge. Weak or missing mortar joints between bricks, spalling bricks, cracked bricks and cracks in the crown can cause leaks. These problems should be fixed before major damage occurs.

Some damper parts can be replaced. In some instances, Independence Chimney Sweeps can install a top sealing damper on the top of the chimney.

Independence Chimney Sweeps highly recommends a good, heavy-duty, stainless-steel chimney cap.

Have it lined with a properly fitting stainless-steel liner and liner insulation for the appropriate UL listings and warranty requirements.

You can enhance the beauty and fix the problem by encasing your chimney in cultured stone.

Yes, but Independence Chimney Sweeps does a 21-point inspection as part of the cleaning. Also, we don’t advise you to do it yourself because you might miss a potential hazard and risk being exposed to a flue fire.

At least annually to ensure that your vent doesn’t get clogged with lint buildup, which could cause a fire.

Yes. The seller could be responsible for taking care of any problems or code issues with the fireplace or chimney before you buy it.