A profession that has stood the test of time, chimney sweeping has lasted for centuries as a vital and necessary means for keeping a fireplace and its related components both functional and safe. Golden's Chimney Lining LLC combines state-of-the-art cleaning equipment with traditional chimney sweeping techniques that offer superior results for properties in Wisconsin. Rely on Golden's Chimney Lining LLC’s expert chimney sweepers for services that will maintain the beauty of your fireplace and natural heating systems for many years to come.

Do I need my chimney inspected?

Your chimney systems are an important part of your home heating system. The National Fire Protection Association, in their Standard 211 (NFPA 211), recommends an annual evaluation of all chimneys, fireplaces and vents and defines three different levels of inspections. For safe and efficient operation, your chimneys should be checked annually by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and cleaned as needed. Each year unsafe chimneys cause significant numbers of injuries and deaths, and accounts for millions of dollars in property losses. Make chimney inspection a regular part of your home maintenance schedule. Don’t become a statistic.

Your chimney should always be inspected before selling your home or after you have purchased a new home. You should never use a chimney that has not been inspected or properly cleaned.

Your chimney should always be inspected before installing a new appliance into it. Whether it be a new wood stove, a new wood insert or a gas insert or gas logs, you should have the chimney cleaned and inspected before putting in anything new to make sure it is safe and up to code.

Your chimney should always be inspected after a chimney fire. You should never reuse your chimney after a chimney fire before a Certified Chimney Sweep has inspected it.

Why does a chimney need sweeping?

Your chimney – and the flue that lines it- adds architectural interest to your home, but its real function is to carry dangerous flue gases from your fireplace, wood stove or furnace safely out of your home. A chimney helps your household air stay breathable… just as your windows and your bathroom, attic and kitchen vents do. Unlike those other exhaust points in your home, however, fireplace and wood stove chimneys need a special kind of care.

As you snuggle in front of a cozy fire or bask in the warmth of your wood stove, you are taking part in a ritual of comfort and enjoyment handed down through the centuries. The last thing you are likely to be thinking about is the condition of your chimney. However, if you don’t give some thought to it before you light those winter fires, your enjoyment may be very short-lived. Why? Using a dirty chimney can cause chimney fire, which can damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people.

Clean chimneys don’t catch fire. Make sure a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep inspects your solid fuel venting system annually and cleans and repairs it whenever needed. Your sweep may have other maintenance recommendations depending on how you use your fireplace or stove. CSIA recommends that you call on a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep since they are regularly tested on their understanding of the complexities of chimney and venting systems.

How often should my chimney be swept?

Every customer uses their wood burning appliances differently. We recommend that you have it cleaned annually unless your CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep tells you differently. After a year or two of sweeping your chimney your chimney sweep specialist will know the answers those delicate questions of wood burning variables and be able to tell you how often to have your wood stove or fireplace chimney swept.

Regular sweeping is a necessary part of preventative home maintenance that preserves the structural integrity of a chimney and your entire property. Golden's Chimney Lining LLC technicians thoroughly inspect each chimney when cleaning and provide tips for optimal wood burning.

Why a certified chimney sweep?

Certified Chimney Sweeps have passed a rigorous test that examines their knowledge of the codes, practices, and standards of the trade. Certified sweeps have learned how to do the job right – as competent, qualified service professionals. CSIA certification is an individual credential, awarded to sweeps only after they’ve earned a minimum number of continuing education units and have passed two exams. The credential must be renewed annually with recredentialling required every three years by submitting continuing education units or by combination of continuing education and testing. You know a sweep is certified if he or she carries a photo identification card with their CSIA certification number and expiration date.

www.ncsg.org www.csia.org

Did you know?

Today’s improved energy efficient wood burning appliances burn less wood than older wood burning stoves. When installed properly, updated models provide energy savings and are environmentally friendly.

For more information on how to improve the energy efficiency of your chimney and for a free sweeping estimate in Wisconsin, call (920) 295-3800