The Rundown on Chimney Mold
Summer tends to bring out the worst in chimneys. When the grueling heat in Long Island in July and August beats down on your chimney you may find that you begin to notice a musty, moldy smell emanating into your living space. Or maybe you had already taken note of this smell, but it has grown worse as your chimney bakes in this heat and humidity. You may even be able to see mold or mildew inside your fireplace or wood stove.
Just in case you have any doubt, there should not be mold inside your chimney. Not only can mold be harmful to your health, but mold means that water or moisture has been inside your chimney, where it does not belong. The presence of mold also leads us to believe that your chimney may be water-damaged. At the very least, it needs some attention by a certified chimney sweep.
Guaranteed Chimney Services, Inc. has been cleaning and servicing fireplaces and chimneys in eastern Suffolk County for more than a decade, and we maintain our certifications and associations with the Chimney Safety Institute of America, the National Chimney Sweep Guild, the National Fireplace Institute, and F.I.R.E. (the Fireplace Investigation Research and Education Service). We hope you will call on us if you believe that your chimney needs professional attention.
How to Get Rid of Chimney Mold
The best place to start with most every chimney service is a chimney and fireplace inspection; this is especially true for a chimney that has not been inspected or cleaned in a long while. Annual inspections and sweepings are recommended by most all major fire safety and chimney safety organizations.
An inspection, during which Guarantee Chimney Services will use a small camera to view every inch of your chimney, will reveal the presence of any chimney leaks or other areas of concern. This is important, as your technician is going to need to pinpoint what is causing the mold or mildew rather than just removing it, so that we can prevent it from accumulating in the future.
To remove the mold, one of our technicians will utilize many of the same tools and techniques we use during a routine chimney sweep, but we’ll also use special antifungal cleansers to kill off any mold spores that are present. Finally we may recommend that you have your chimney brick waterproofed or sealed, if indeed your brick and mortar seems to be the point at which water is entering your chimney.
Do you live in the Westhampton Beach, Long Island, New York, area? If you think you have mold inside your chimney, schedule an appointment with us today. Summer is the perfect time to deal with any chimney concerns you have, so that you’ll be all ready to safely light a fire at the first sign of winter.