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Our Company Blog
by Mike O'Mara | Nov 5, 2017 | Smoking Chimney
Do you plan on hosting any parties or events this holiday season? If so. then you can count on your fireplace to set the perfect aesthetic for you. A crackling fire lightens up any room, adds a cozy atmosphere, and helps set that festive mood that every homeowner desires. That being said, a fun-filled night in can easily turn bad when smoke starting pouring into your living room.
Avoid this issue by studying some of our tips below! We’ll discuss what causes smoke to back-up and educate you on how to prevent it from happening to you.
Is Your Damper Working?
First things first, if you notice smoke backing up, check your damper. Sometimes homeowners simply forget to open it, but other times it’s stuck or broken. A fireplace can’t run without a properly working damper, so count on us to make sure yours is good to go! We’ll do a thorough inspection and take the appropriate steps to resolve any issues you may be facing.
Need your current damper replaced? No problem! We can take care of that, too. Give us a call and we will set up with an appointment.
Is Your Firewood Properly Seasoned?
Ensuring your firewood has been seasoned for at least 6 months (preferably longer) can make a huge impact on how much, or how little, your fireplace smokes. Wood that isn’t properly seasoned will hold more water, forcing your fire to use up a lot of energy burning through all the excess moisture. This causes smoke to form. Unfortunately, these fumes can easily enter your home and, when they don’t, they cause creosote and other harmful buildup to form in your chimney.
Unfortunately, when creosote accumulates, this too can cause smoke to form! It’s a vicious cycle, so choosing seasoned wood from the start is your best bet. Pick out pieces that are lighter in weight, dark and split at the ends, and that make a hollow sound when smacked together. All of these signs indicate it has been properly dried out, and your fire will smoke significantly less.
Is Your Flue In Need Of Repair?
If your flue needs some tuning up, you may experience drafting and smoking issues, too. Call us in for any and all of your chimney repairs. It’s always best to address these sooner, rather than later, and you can count on us to handle anything that comes our way!
Don’t Waste Time
When smoke and other harmful toxins enter your home, it can cause a lot of stress. If family members inhale these fumes, they could be facing some serious illnesses. The longer you put off repairs, the worse your issues will become. This is why it’s so important to invest in yearly inspections and regular sweepings by a CSIA certified chimney sweep. So, you can depend on the staff at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to set you up right!
We won’t let you down. Pick up the phone and give us a call today!
by Mike O'Mara | Oct 23, 2017 | Reviewing Our Services
At Weststar Chimney Sweeps, we are 100% devoted to customer satisfaction. We are always looking for ways to improve our services and, if there’s something you love about us, we want to make sure we continue doing it! That’s why customer reviews are so important to us. We encourage anyone who has worked with us in the past to leave a review, so that we can better serve you year after year.
Leaving Positive Feedback
If you liked working with us, please let us know what you enjoyed specifically. Weststar wants to ensure we make every experience with us a top-notch one. It’s up to you to let us know what we’re doing right! We want our customers to have a positive experience every time; so let us know what we can continue doing to keep you (and others) happy with our staff.
We really appreciate any kind words we receive!
Leaving Tips For Improvement
That being said, we realize there is always room for improvement. That’s why reviews that tell us how we can better serve you are important, too! We take all of our feedback very seriously and, if there’s an issue, then we need to know about it. Tell us everything, so that we know how to do it better next time around.
Make Your Review Effective
If you’re ready to leave a review (good or bad), it’s important to word it appropriately and present the information in a way that is beneficial to us and any other potential customers reading it. Are you are upset with a service we gave you? We understand wanting to leave an angry review right away to vent out any immediate frustration. However, that just isn’t beneficial to anyone reading it. Take some time to look over these tips before writing your next review!
First of all, give yourself some time. Wait a day or two, so that you can write your opinions with a clear head, making them as objective and fact-oriented as possible. Using offensive or sarcastic language may make your feel better in the moment, but we want our customer reviews to be more constructive than that! Always remember – harsh language helps no one.
Next, be realistic and be sure you include your entire experience in the review. It can be easy to over exaggerate, but doing so makes you appear less credible, and it’s likely that people won’t take you very seriously. It’s unlikely that one entire experience was only all bad. Be honest. If you didn’t like something, explain why, and be sure you leave any positive notes in there, too.
We also ask that you leave out specific names, because this again doesn’t help anyone out. Look at the situation from both sides. Try to present the information in a professional manner. Once you are finished, look over your review. Don’t forget and make sure everything is worded appropriately. Additionally, that it is grammatically correct and easy to understand. Your readers will thank you!
We can’t wait to hear your feedback soon!
by Mike O'Mara | Oct 6, 2017 | Fireplaces
If you own a fireplace, there’s no doubt you look forward to the many benefits they offer each year. They keep your home warmer on cool days and they add the perfect ambiance to any holiday gathering. Not to mention, they work wonders in bringing families closer together every single evening. That’s why it’s so important to ensure your system stays protected!
With the holidays just around the corner, we’re sure you’ll be putting your fireplace to lots of use. Let us install a heat reflector, so that you’re good to go all winter long! Your firebox will thank you.
What Is A Firebox?
If you’re new to the fireplace game, you may be wondering what exactly a firebox is – and why it needs to be protected. The firebox is the main area where fires burn in your fireplace. It’s where you build your fire, and it’s where the most heat is produced. It’s clearly an essential part of your fireplace system. However, when it’s not in good condition, you’ll find yourself facing a lot of troublesome issues.
Because there’s so much heat in the firebox, it takes on a lot of wear and tear. It may seem like no issues are forming. On the contrary, throughout time, each fire causes a bit more deterioration to occur, and your firebox will end up crumbling (costing you big bucks in repair jobs).
That’s why we suggest investing in heat reflectors. Learn more about these amazing products below. Afterwards, give us a call, so that we can set you up right!
Pros Of Investing In A Heat Reflector
An obvious reason for investing in a heat reflector is their ability to protect your firebox from the intense heat your fire produces. But how exactly does it do this? Well, it provides a strong shield for the back of your firebox, so that less heat gets to the brickwork and mortar. This could wind up saving you a lot of time, money, and stress. Why? Damaged brickwork typically requires expensive and intricate tuckpointing repair services!
But that’s not all heat reflectors are good for. They also help heat your home more efficiently! Wood-burning fireplaces are known for losing lots of heat because the back wall of the firebox absorbs so much of it. Yet, systems with a heat reflector in place are able to radiate the heat back out into your living room, where it belongs. Your home will stay warmer and cozier, and you’ll have no problem staying toasty on colder days.
Call Today – Our Staff Can Help!
Are you ready to make this smart investment today? Then call on our qualified and professional staff to help you out! We’ve got you covered, and you’ll love how much better your system heats throughout the winter months ahead. There’s no time like the present – pick up your phone now to schedule an appointment!
by Mike O'Mara | Sep 18, 2017 | Dryer Vent Maintenance
Many homeowners are becoming more and more aware of the importance of dryer vent cleaning. Unfortunately, we hear too many stories of people trying to save money by buying do-it-yourself cleaning kits. Trust us when we say, this isn’t the way to go! You’ll take on a lot of hassle and stress. In addition, you’ll be frustrated when you’re faced with poor results (costing your more money down the line).
Cons Of Dryer Vent Cleaning Kits
In some situations a dryer vent cleaning kit may do an alright job. Yet, for most, more heavy duty equipment is needed. Venting systems in a home can be long, intricate, and winding. With that in mind, the tools that come in these do-it-yourself kits just can’t get the job done right! The rods won’t stretch far enough, they can’t adjust to the many twists and turns, and often times they get stuck (meaning you’ll end up needing professional help in the end anyway).
On top of this, many homeowners just push all of the lint to the back of the vent, failing to actually remove it. This causes bigger clogs to form, and you’ll end up with even more problems than you started out with. In the end, you’ll need someone certified to get the clogs out, meaning you’re out a lot of money. Invest in a pro from the start, and you’ll be happy you did!
What To Expect From Us
When you choose Weststar Chimney Sweeps, you can rest easy knowing you’ve picked the best of the best. Our certified and trained technicians have the tools, expertise, and professionalism that you’re looking for, and we ensure all of the connections are working properly before leaving the job site. No matter what your dryer vent has in store for us, we can get you taken of!
What To Expect From Your Dryer
Many question whether or not dryer vent cleaning really makes a difference. Will the dryer really run that much better? Is it worth the money? The short answer is yes! If your dryer needs to run multiple times to dry a load of laundry, then something isn’t right. A lot of times, all these systems need is a good cleaning to run more efficiently, saving you time and stress. And it lowers your energy bills, too!
When you schedule a cleaning, your clothes will dry in no time and you won’t see as much of an increase in your monthly bills. And did you know it makes your home safer, too? Dryers are known for causing thousands of house fires every single year! It’s definitely not worth the risk when it comes to the wellbeing of your loved ones.
To top it off, many times homeowners think the dryer is the issue, when all they needed was to invest in us! Before you go out and buy a whole new appliance, let us look things over. Your problems made be solved quickly and easily with just one visit from us. The best part is, we’re here for you year after year, so you can schedule your annual cleaning with Weststar Chimney Sweeps every time! Make us your one stop shop for it all. Call today!
by Mike O'Mara | Sep 4, 2017 | Leaning Chimney
Now and then, we get calls wondering about whether or not a leaning chimney is something to be concerned about. The short answer? Yes! A leaning chimney can lead to some serious damages to your home and put your family in danger, should a collapse eventually occur.
You could also see pest infestation if the chimney starts separating from the house, and you’re at a higher risk of inhaling hazardous toxins that may work their way through any cracks that have started to form.
On top of that, the tilting may have to do with your home’s foundation issues. This is something you’ll definitely want to get checked out, too! It’s obviously a serious problem, and one that should be addressed as soon as possible.
Why Is My Chimney Leaning?
So, what are the causes of a tilting or leaning chimney? Well, one of your issues may be exposure to excess moisture. Moisture and masonry don’t make a good pair at all! What happens when water gets absorbed into your brickwork? Unfortunately – decay, deterioration, and more start to occur. In addition, your entire system weakens quickly over time. All this extra damage and pressure can easily cause your structure to tilt.
Another problem you may have is an unstable foundation. Undersized footings, deterioration, and poor soil are just a few of the many foundation problems that may be causing your chimney to lean. Having a professional chimney sweep come in and check things over is your best bet for resolving the issue! They can assess the situation and guide you to the most appropriate ways to move forward.
Can It Be Fixed?
It is possible to fix a leaning chimney without an entire restoration or reconstruction job. However, first you need to get your damage looked into! Yearly chimney and fireplace inspections are recommended by the CSIA and they can make all the difference when it comes to repairing something, without a major remodel.
For a chimney inspection in the San Diego area, call on the experts at Weststar Chimney Sweeps! Our trained and CSIA-certified technicians are standing by, reading to help you out at the first sign of trouble. If you fear your chimney is suffering, there’s no time to lose!
Have You Considered Waterproofing?
Have you invested in repairs and are now ready to keep your chimney and brickwork safe from water damage down the line? If so, invest in our waterproofing services. We use top of the line products that protect your masonry, while allowing it the ability to breathe out necessary gases and vapors. It’s the perfect solution for anyone looking to ensure their chimney stands the test of time. Give us a call today to learn more about waterproofing, and be sure to ask us about our long list of other services, too!
We can’t wait to serve you soon. Pick up the phone now!
