The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) reports an average of 362,300/year residential structural fires during 2009-2011. These were caused primarily due to improper cleaning and regular maintenance of chimneys. The average financial cost was found to be a whopping $6681 per residential structure.
In light of the events, the CSIA released a white paper titled “Chimney Fires: Causes, Effects & Evaluation” detailing how to effectively alleviate this major health hazard. The proposed remedy to prevent a horrifying fire disaster is a professional and certified chimney inspection and cleaning. Given the fast paced lifestyle of Florida, chimney cleaning in Orlando is likely to take a backseat. So, if you are too busy with your own work, call on the professionals to do the work for you.
Facts on Fire
Chimneys are not meant to decorate the roofline of a home. Your chimney – and the flue that lines it – is necessary to carry dangerous flue gases from your fireplace, stove or furnace safely out of your home. Hence a chimney sucks all the bad air from your household air. In a phrase, your house stays breathable because a chimney does a lot of hectic work for you. Therefore, a chimney, unlike other exhaust points in your home, requires a special kind of care.
As noted by CSIA, about 2,260 residential deaths were filed for 2010-2011. Your dirty chimneys can initiate chimney fires. These fires damage structures, destroy property, and injure as well as kill people. Protect the structural integrity of your chimney by contact professionals that specialize in chimney cleaning in Orlando.
What if There Is More To A Chimney Than Fire Hazards?
Well, there is a lot more to your chimney than just fire hazards. Chimney fires are not the sole cause of health and financial concerns from improperly cleaned chimneys. Unclean chimneys are a primary cause of carbon monoxide poisoning in homes. According to WTHR-TV, an NBC affiliate in Indianapolis, carbon monoxide poisoning claims about 4,000 lives a year in the U.S. What’s more is the fact that this gas is both colorless and tasteless – it does not warn its victims at all.
Furthermore, dirty chimneys cause a rare lung disease called histoplasmosis. Histoplasmosis readily feasts on the young and those with weak immune system. It causes chronic cough, chest pain, fever, chills, sweats, lack of appetite, and at times weight loss.
Guide to Proper Maintenance
The only way to avoid all of these problems is to have clean chimneys.
Clean chimneys don’t catch fire and they suck out all the harmful gases that are likely to get cozy in your home and in your lungs. Though there is no harm in cleaning the chimney yourself, it is highly advisable that you let a professional handle the job. Professional chimney cleaning in Orlando is not a costly affair. Furthermore, a professional may find other structural problems in your chimney. These include small chimney fires that though went unnoticed, have affected the structural integrity of your chimney. A professional will inform you of other maintenance recommendations as well.
Stay safe and healthy by contacting a professional specializing in chimney cleaning in Orlando.
About ABC Cleaning, Inc of Orlando, FL
Serving Central Florida since 1992, ABC Cleaning, Inc. has been the acknowledged leader in our air duct cleaning, chimney cleaning and dryer vent cleaning. We consistently invest in and have the most modern equipment and technology available, and the best trained service technicians. Call ABC today at (407) 477-4302.
