When the snow comes, there is almost nothing better than curling up with a blanket and a good book beside your fireplace. This is especially true in cities that tend to get a lot of snow like Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Burlington, Ancaster, Dundas, Milton and St. Catharines.
With regular use, like almost anything, your fireplace will need to be inspected and maintained to make sure it’s safe and efficient to use. The best time to get your fireplace inspected is right before the winter, as the winter is the time it will get the most use. Here’s why it is so important to get your fireplace inspected annually.
The Logs
Even if your fireplace isn’t actually wood burning, chances are you have some form of ceramic, fake, logs. Over time these logs will wear down due to the heat within the fireplace, and they have even start to get stuck to the fireplace insert. It’s important to check before the start of each winter season that the logs are in good shape and aren’t too old. If they need to be replaced, you can make arrangements to get that done before the really cold weather starts.
Clean Residue
Over the winter, with regular use, your fireplace will have a build-up of residue on the inside and outside of the insert. You can clean this residue off, on your own, after every time you use your fireplace or you can hire a professional service company like Hamilton Home Comfort to come in and do a yearly clean.
Make Sure it’s Safe
When a technician comes out to your home to inspect your fireplace, they will do a thorough check of the whole unit to make sure it’s completely safe. When there’s a gas line coming into the unit, they will need to check and make sure there aren’t any leaks in the line and the connection is tight. They will also look for any chips or cracks: even though the unit is built to withstand really high temperatures, there can still be some compromises to the structure with repeated heating and cooling.
Catch Small Issues
With smaller issues on the fireplace unit, you can likely replace individual parts as needed. If you wait and don’t perform regular maintenance then the issue could become so much bigger. Remember that replacing small parts right away is usually much easier and less costly than waiting and having to replace the whole unit! What’s more, is that smaller issues could do damage to the mantle or other parts of the house surrounding the fireplace if they aren’t fixed, and that could mean very expensive repair bills.
If your gas fireplace hasn’t had an inspection lately, contact Hamilton Home Comfort. We happily serve Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Burlington, Ancaster, Dundas, Milton and St. Catharines. Our technicians have years of experience behind them, and we are flexible to work with your schedule and make sure your fireplace maintenance is completed when you need it. Give us a call today to schedule your annual fireplace maintenance appointment with Hamilton Home Comfort!
