Have you ever put on your favorite outfit, only to realize that there are stains across the front of it? That’s an embarrassing situation! No matter what it is that gets stained, it takes away from the attractiveness of the item, and that includes your chimney. Though we probably don’t think of it very often, once you notice that your chimney looks stained, it’s pretty hard to ignore. If your chimney is starting to look shabby and old, it may be a simple matter of getting rid of those stains to leave it looking like new again!
Causes of Staining
If you’ve taken a look at your chimney masonry and notice a white or grayish-white substance, which may even sparkle in the sunlight, you’re viewing efflorescence. Bricks and mortar are porous, which means that when precipitation occurs, that moisture will get inside. When it makes its way out again, it can leave salt deposits on the surface of the bricks and mortar.
Speaking of water and the effects it can have on your chimney, another way that stains can appear on your chimney is through mildew. Just as in any other dark, wet spot in your home, if you have water issues with your chimney, you could easily also have mildew problems. Mildew is a fungus, and as such, can have a nasty odor as well. Unfortunately, mold and mildew are associated, and if you have mildew, you could have mold as well. These conditions indicate that you have a leak problem, and if that’s the case, Chimney Concepts can go beyond stain removal and take care of finding the source of the leak and make the necessary repairs to make sure it doesn’t keep occurring.
Rust
Have you noticed brown stains etching their way down your chimney? That’s probably rust, and it, too, occurs because there’s water leaking somewhere. Rust stains are unsightly but don’t worry, the technicians from Chimney Concepts can help you get rid of those stains as well!
Probably the most obvious source of chimney and hearth stains is smoke. When you use your fireplace a lot, there is no avoiding smoke stains. Even if you use cured wood and keep your dampers open, there will still be smoke, and it can leave your chimney brown and discolored.
Let Us Clean You Up
There are many different suggestions out there on how to clean up your fireplace on your own. When you hire Chimney Concepts, however, not only will we clean your chimney stains, we’ll get to the source of the stains as well. If repairs are necessary, we have the tools and the education to know how to make those repairs. Give us a call today, and love your new-looking fireplace soon!