ANIMALS IN YOUR CHIMNEY

Sometimes animals can get stuck inside a chimney. Trust us, we’ve seen our share of dead birds, bats and squirrels over the years that end up clogging the flue or stinking up a living room, and are always happy to come on over and remove them so you can enjoy a fire with peace of mind. Once, we pulled out over 20 birds from a single chimney!

One possible solution to this problem is cutting back tree branches that reach the roof of the house, but this won’t keep birds from nesting inside your chimney, unfortunately. A Chimney Cap, which can be attached by a trained professional, is the best defense against this menace, and keeps all critters out – including racoons, which have been known to slide down a chimney and make themselves at home while the unsuspecting family soundly sleeps upstairs.

If you have dead animals in your chimney, or want to prevent it from happening, we would love to come on over and discuss the possible solutions with you. And if you’ve discovered a live creature lurking up there in the dark, call a professional to come and remove it.

WHY USE A FIREPLACE SCREEN?

You’d be surprised, but we hear this a lot: “What is this and what does it do?”

They are referring to the screen that goes in front of the fireplace.

It’s okay, this is what we’re here for, to help answer questions.

The fireplace screen goes in front of the fireplace when you have a fire to keep the ash and sparks from coming out and catching things like the rug and sofa and the lazy cat on fire so that the whole house doesn’t go up in flames.

Every fireplace should have one, and starting a fire without one is irresponsible.

Now you know.

WE OFFER ALL CHIMNEY SERVICES!

Some chimney companies only clean.

Some chimney companies only do repairs.

But at Family Chimney Sweep, we do it all!

And unlike some of our competition, we’re also fully insured! We’ll come and clean your fireplace and flue, replace old dampers with chimney top dampers, put on chimney caps, repair crooked chimney tops and so much more! We even service wood burning stoves!

We are a friendly, prompt and honest family-run business and offer prices that can’t be beat.

Call us for all of your fireplace and chimney needs!

WHY DOES MY DAMPER LEAK?

Dampers in New England are usually old and beat up from the harsh weather, and many times will leak water.

Because most dampers form a  metal to metal seal, some amount of air will always leak through. Through time, the metal plates will warp from the effects of the moisture and heat, and water will be able to come through to your fireplace.

A chimney top damper is a good way to seal the chimney to keep water from slipping through, and Family Chimney Sweep would love to talk to you about making an appointment to come and see what we can do for you, so call us anytime!

IF YOU SEE OUR TRUCK

We are often driving around the Boston area from one client to another. Braintree to Dover, to South Boston back to Walpole and so on…

Some of our business comes from people who stop us on the street or come up to us at the gas station or Dunkins and ask us questions.

usually, when they’ve done their homework, people are amazed at what we do for the price we do it at. Some of the other companies we hear about charge $50 more for a fireplace cleaning, and that is unfair to every homeowner that falls prey to this.

If you see us driving around and have a question for us, feel free to honk or wave and we’d be happy to pull off and talk to you about your needs. We’ve been known to follow someone a few miles to their house to let them know if they are in need of repairs.

We pride ourselves on being honest, friendly and fair.

We won’t disappoint.

Call us today at 800-821-1027

WE DON’T MIND THE COLD!

Okay, we won’t lie: It’s quite cold outside right now.

But we don’t mind, and will brave the frigid elements outside to ensure that you and your family is safe this year by cleaning and repairing anything chimney related that comes our way.

We have over 30 years of experience, and many loyal customers who call us every year. A lot of other companies can’t boast either of these things, and prey on unsuspecting homeowners and sell them things they don’t really need.

Us? We’ll climb up a ladder in negative 10 degree weather and pull tree branches from your chimney atop a snow covered roof.

‘Cause that’s what we do!

call us today to set up an appointment

800-821-1027

ARE CHIMNEY CLEANING LOGS ANY GOOD?

It is a cheap and seemingly-easy way to clean your chimney, but does a chimney cleaning log really do the job right?

Chimney Cleaning Logs work by adding certain chemicals to the logs that are designed to break down the build up in your chimney. But they only help a little bit, testing suggests, and should not be the sole source of cleaning. Chimney cleaning logs do help in breaking down creosote that builds up inside the chimney, but not enough to be certain there will be no safety issues.

A thorough cleaning by a professional is the best way to go.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Mike Scanlan started Family Chimney Sweep over 20 years ago as a side job to his duties fighting fires in Boston.

Mike knew the potential dangers a dirty or clogged chimney flue could cause, and wanted to make sure families in his city and beyond were safe during the cold season.

As a teenager, Mike’s son David used to tag along with his father and over the years learned first hand the ins and outs of the chimney sweep business.

Today, Mike and David continue to provide top-notch, affordable services for all your chimney and fireplace needs, including cleanings, repair and inspections.

Feel free to call Mike and David anytime at 800-821-1027

Or visit us at www.familychimneysweep.com

WHAT CAN GET DOWN YOUR CHIMNEY?

We get so many calls every week from clients who have objects stuck in their chimney.

We’ve pulled a lot of things out of chimney’s over the years.

Tree branches are very common, as are leaves and debris.

Animals, too, both dead and alive, have been found in people’s chimneys. It’s a great place for birds to set up shop, and in turn can make having a fire unsafe for your family.

Call Family Chimney Sweep today to set up an appointment. We’ll come right down and remove whatever is stuck in your chimney.

800-821-1027

or visit us at www.familychimneysweep.com

KEEP YOUR PETS AWAY!

A fireplace is a wonderful addition to any home, just as a dog or cat is, but many times the two interact and the result can be very unpleasureable.

For instance, have you ever seen a white cat covered in fireplace smoot? It ain’t pretty, and will cost a bunch to clean up.

Dogs are notorious for being inquisitive, and will poke their head into a fireplace if given the opportuntity for no real reason other than boredom. They’ll track their feet in the smoot and then parade around the house with a half-charred piece of wood in their mouth before discarding it on your bed.

You should always keep your pets away from the fireplace even when it is not lit.