Switch to a better way of living. Learn how to save energy, save money, and save the environment.

Switch to a better way of living. Learn how to save energy, save money, and save the environment.

When it comes to living “green,” we all want to do our part to as be as environmentally-friendly as possible. Usually when you save energy in your home, you save money on your utility bills as well as in other ways. The United States Department of Energy has five tips to maximize the efficiency of your fireplace and chimney all year round, and New Buck Chimney Sweep is equipped and ready to help you with these tips. Schedule an appointment with us today to get started saving energy and money.

1. Unless you have a fire burning, keep your damper closed.

Your damper controls the airflow in your chimney, and if you leave it open after a fire has finished burning, you are just letting air into your home. A damper also commonly has repair issues, such as having a lever problem, making it difficult to close (allowing drafts in your home) or open (trapping smoke and dangerous carbon monoxide poison inside your house). Other problems like water damage or animal intrusion may have caused total damper damage, forcing you to replace your damper. New Buck Chimney Sweep does offer damper repair and replacement services.

2. Install tempered glass doors, along with a heat-air exchange system to blow warm air back into the room.

New Buck Chimney Sweep carries a wide selection of fireplaces, inserts, and wood stoves that we’d be happy to both sell and install, and we can add this accessory to a new fireplace or insert, or just update your old fireplace with these doors and exchange system to help you efficiently heat your home with your fireplace.

3. Check the seals around your flue damper.

Even if you have a properly working damper, you can still lose about 8% of energy through your chimney if the seal around your damper is loose. This is an easy DIY repair; however, when you have your annual chimney sweep and inspection, this task will be taken care of in that process.

4. Insulate your chimney with a liner.

A chimney liner is a wondrous thing; it protects your chimney from the buildup of dangerous creosote, the leading cause of chimney fires. If you don’t have a liner or if the liner in your chimney is old and damaged, the smoke exhaust (containing gases, minerals, and other toxic materials) causes creosote to attach on the walls of your chimney. A chimney liner will contain all the smoke, ash, heat, and carbon monoxide produced by the fire and encourage them to exit your house through the chimney. New Buck Chimney Sweep uses only the highest-quality chimney liners and is ready to help you with your options and installation.

5. Have your chimney inspected every year by a Chimney Safety Institute of America-certified chimney sweep.

This is a maintenance step that should not be ignored. If you have not scheduled your annual chimney sweep and inspection yet, contact us at New Buck Chimney Sweep, and schedule an appointment for one today. We will be sure to get your chimney and fireplace as energy-efficient as it can be as well as take care of any other issues on this list you may have.