MEMPHIS, Tenn — As fall heads into the Mid-South, now is a good time to clean the chimney before Santa shimmies his way down there in December.
“This is certainly our busiest time of year between now and the upcoming holidays,” said Timothy Weaver, owner of Abbey Road Chimney Sweep.
He said now is a great time to get things checked, before the temperatures drop and folks start lighting up the fireplace.
“It’s important to get your fireplace cleaned and inspected just because you don’t know what’s changed, to make sure nothing in the masonry mortar has expanded and contracted during the winter or since a prior use. Things do change and so you want to make sure that’s ready to go.”
Having it checked means homeowners can also get any questions answered.
“It’s also a great opportunity to have a chimney sweep come out that can answer any questions you have and tell you how to use it, how to operate it safely. If you have any questions, we are NFIA certified.”
A chimney sweep can also let homeowners know what’s best for gas or wood-burning fireplaces.
“We know about gas logs. We know about wood-burning chimneys, and we would be able to come out and provide any answers for you that you might have questions on.”
Weaver said getting things checked can bring families peace of mind.
“Fire has been a friend of man for a long time, but the relationship that man has with fire is more important than ever to make sure that we’re doing a good job of maintaining that fire and containing that fire. Having us come out and clean and inspect can be a great way to make sure that you’re able to enjoy that family time around your fire without having that in the back of your head wondering if it’s actually okay for you to enjoy that time. The best thing you can do is just get it looked at and inspected and evaluated by a professional.”