READ ALSO: Farming has become a family affair for Schertz couple They are an endangered species and we have to take great care when swifts are migrating. It's the only bird that will invade a flue and set up a nest. Chimney swifts are very prevalent, they migrate through South Texas, San Antonio twice a year.
And the other aspect about a cap that's really important, especially for us down here in South Texas, is to keep birds out. So those we put caps on, caps are very imperative to keep out rain and keep out critters. Q: Do most houses here have caps on top of the flue?Ī: Not every house does, some of the older homes, especially homes built back in the early 1900s may not have a cap. Chimney is a general term for the whole unit. The flue, the exterior part of it, the firebox, where you put the logs. Q: When you say chimney, exactly what part of the structure are you referring to?Ī: Chimney for us is the whole thing. They'd slide that thing up and down the chimney and scrape the walls out. Once that didn't work out, then they started to experiment with burlap sacks with a lot of rocks in them. That's why you see a lot of old pictures (the 1700s) a goose was used to do that type of work. And once the goose did his work and was no longer able to perform, then the goose became dinner. Of course, it would flap around and make a lot of commotion and it would scrape or brush out the chimney. They'd tie a rope to its legs and another one around its neck and drop it down the chimney. Back in the olden days, you would see pictures of sweeps holding a goose. And you need a vacuum cleaner for this type of work. We use brushes of different calipers depending on what type and how the chimney is built. Q: These days, how do you sweep the chimney?Ī: It's still mechanical, you have to scrape it. Because we're in South Texas, some of these chimneys really don't get a lot of use. Once we look at its condition, then we'll determine whether it needs to be cleaned or not. Q: What is the process for cleaning the chimney?Ī: The first thing we do is look at it from top to bottom, make sure everything is in place, nothing has been damaged or misaligned. Occasionally, we'll run across a snake out at the base of the chimney on the exterior of the house. Down at the base of the chimney in the firebox, you'll come across scorpions, ants, centipedes. Every once in a while, we will come across a brown recluse. Q: Besides birds and raccoons etc., what else have you found?Ī: Wasps, bees, spiders. Draw is the chimney's ability to expel smoke. We make sure those are cleared out before you start using it because it does hamper the draw. Over the spring and summer, you'll have birds, raccoons, squirrels that will set up a nest. We make sure there are no obstructions in it, that does happen, especially here in South Texas. Q: When you inspect a chimney, what are some of the things you look for?Ī: We access its safety factor, make sure that everything functions correctly.
Mike wood chimney sweep san antonio professional#
Reese said as a good rule of thumb, homeowners should have a professional sweep inspect their chimney about every two years. Reese is now the lead technician at the San Antonio-based company, which also does dryer vent cleaning and roof repairs. Reese, who had been friends with Wood for decades, began his career by helping Wood, who gave him on the job training.
Noah Reese, with Chimney Sweeping by Mike Wood, has been inspecting and cleaning chimneys in San Antonio and the surrounding areas for 12 years.Ĭompany founder, Mike Wood, passed away in 2011. These disasters can be avoided with proper cleaning by a professional chimney sweep. Slow-burning chimney fires are often not visible, but they can reach temperatures that cause just as much damage to the chimney and other parts of the house as larger fires. If hanging stockings by the chimney with care is an annual tradition in your house, you might want to add a chimney inspection to your to-do list.Īccording to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, most chimney fires are caused by dirty chimneys and the majority of these fires go undetected.
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