Posted by Archibald Talmage on Thu, Mar 01, 2012 @ 04:34 PM
As the Maine winter progresses we start to hear more stories on the 6 o'clock news about house fires caused by a chimney fire or a poorly installed wood stove. Cleaning inspection and evaluation by a certified technician, even in mid-winter could be a life saver.
Remember: 
- Smoke and CO detectors are a must and are your first indication of a problem. Change the batteries often
- Dispose of the stove or fireplace ashes in a steel container stored on a noncombustable surface but not in the garage where the lawn mower and its fuel supply are stored.
- Check the stove and stove pipe at least once a week and if possible remove the stove pipe and clean it out. Chimney fires often start in the stove pipe as it is closest to the flames.
- If the stove smokes back when you try to add wood or there is a smoky odor when you enter your house you might be experiencing a down draft or the start of a blockage in your chimney flue. It's best to stop using the stove and call your chimney sweep.
- HAVE AN EXIT PLAN for you, your family and pets to exit your home quickly and in an orderly fashion. Make sure everyone is aware of the plan.
- In the event of a chimney fire or a house fire, run carefully don't walk out of the house then call 911 on your cell phone (that you remembered to take with you) from your front yard. Don't go back in the house. The toxic gases produced by a fire are what will kill you not the flames.
Posted by Archibald Talmage on Sun, May 15, 2011 @ 04:17 PM
So we've all made it through another Maine winter and if your chimney does not already have a chimney cap your chimney is suffering from crown degradation i.e. the slow deterioration of the top of the chimney exposted to the elements. Springs is the perfect time to up grade the top of your chimney and save the considerable expence of rebuilding the upper part of the chimney by installing a custom Stainless Steel cap. Chimney caps keep out the rain and animals while protection the chimney crown from freeze/thaw cycling in the winter and general degridation the rest of the year.
Protecting your home from invading squirrels, bats and raccoons cannot be over emphasized. Squirrels not only make a mess of your house, they will destroy the frames of your windows trying to escape and raccoons love the nice warm area behind your fireplace damper to raise their young. A chimney cap with an integral animal screen will save both the home owner and the invading pests from a lot of grief.
All of our STAINLESS STEEL cap are custom built for your particular chimney with proper overhangs and at least a 3" skirt to ensure a secure attachment to the top of the chimney. The above picture shows these attributes.
