Cleaning – Page 2

Duct Cleaning Saves Money and Energy

Have you noticed that your utility bills have gone up in recent months? Are your utility bills higher than those of your neighbors? Do you have rooms in your home that are hard to keep a comfortable temperature, for example, cool in the summer or warm in the winter? Have you noticed that dust quickly reappears on surfaces in your home after you’ve cleaned? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your home’s ductwork likely needs to be cleaned.

A dirty or clogged duct system can contribute to the inefficiency of your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, causing your utility bills to rise. And, with energy costs on the rise anyway, who wants to pay more if you don’t have to?

A professional duct cleaning performed by T. J.’s Chimney Service of Greenfield, IN, can save you money in the long run by:

Improving your HVAC system’s energy efficiency. When dust and debris builds up inside your ductwork, the air flow within your HVAC system is reduced. Therefore, your system has to run longer and more often to heat and cool your home, using more energy. But when your ducts are clean, your system doesn’t have to work as hard to move air through your home. So less energy is used, saving you money on operating costs.
Protecting your HVAC equipment. Dust particles within your ductwork can travel to your HVAC equipment, reducing its efficiency and performance. Overtime, dust buildup can even damage your equipment. But regular air duct cleaning can ensure your equipment performs more efficiently. So, it’ll require fewer repairs and operate longer, saving you money.

In fact, by cleaning and sealing your home’s ductwork, Energy Star, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program, reports you can improve your HVAC system’s energy efficiency by up to 20%. Which means, you’ll save money on your utility bills to heat and cool your home.

So, if your air ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris, and/or dust particles are actually being released into your home from your supply registers, the EPA recommends that you have your air ducts cleaned.

To schedule your duct cleaning appointment, contact the experts at T. J.’s Chimney Service by calling 317-455-5310 or completing our online request form.

Reduce Your Allergy Symptoms with Air Duct Cleaning

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Woman Sneezing Are you sneezing? Do you have a runny nose and/or watery eyes? You’re probably suffering from allergies. You could stay inside your home all day to reduce your exposure to pollens, but who wants to do that all summer? And, if you’re allergic to dust, molds or pet dander, staying inside won’t limit your exposure to these allergens. In fact, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, more than half of all homes contain at least six detectable allergens. So what can you do? Many people assume their home’s air conditioning (AC) system will filter the air, removing any possible allergens. However, that’s not always the case (especially depending on the type of air filter your system uses). Once the contaminants are inside your home, your AC system can continually recirculate them. Plus, your AC system can actually encourage the development of mold. When cool air flows through the air ducts in warmer areas of your home, like the attic, condensation can form. This moisture creates an ideal environment in which molds grow. One way you can reduce the amount of allergens in your home is to have your air ducts cleaned. Air duct cleaning removes dust, dirt, pet hair and dander found inside your home’s duct system, so less of these allergy-aggravating particles will circulate through the air. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says there’s not enough evidence to determine whether air duct cleaning can actually prevent allergies, it does suggest you should have your air ducts cleaned if:

The surfaces of your ducts or other AC components have substantial, visible mold on them.
Rodents, insects or other vermin are living in your ducts.
The ducts are clogged with dust and debris that’s being released into your home through the air supply registers.

How can you tell if you need to have your ducts cleaned?

Your home has a musty or moldy smell.
You see dust or dirt on the air vents or on the ceiling or wall above the vents.
Dust accumulates on surfaces quickly after removing it.
You start sneezing when you’re near an air vent.

If you’re tired of suffering from allergies, schedule a duct cleaning appointment with T.J.’s Chimney Service in Greenfield, IN. We’ll clean all the registers, vents and cold air returns in your home – sanitizing and deodorizing each vent, too. An average home with 20 or less vents takes between two and three hours to clean. Get rid of the allergens in your home and breathe easier – contact T.J.’s Chimney Service today.

What Is Creosote and How To Prevent It

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What is creosote really? Creosote is nothing more than unburned wood energy that condensates on the inner chimney surface. The more Creosote Buildup In Your Chimney you use your fireplace soot and creosote begins to coat and solidify on the surface and if not removed the layer grows deep enough to provide another fuel source for the fire. If any sparks come into contact with this fuel source it could ignite and cause a house fire. There is no special type of wood that will prevent a build up from happening. It all depends on the moisture of the wood. You can tell how much creosote is present by the smoke that is emitted while the wood logs are burning. The darker the smoke coming from the chimney the more creosote it contains regardless of what type of wood you are burning. An article about How To Tell When It Needs Cleaning suggests only burning dry wood, build vigorous fires and use plenty of small logs to have rapid and completely burned logs. Also never burn scrap lumber or trash. There are signs to look for of creosote buildup. Regular chimney cleanings will help remove creosote and prevent any buildups from happening. Other signs of a buildup include, smoke flooding into your home, soot covering your furniture, or dark smoke constantly flowing from your chimney. If you notice any of these signs it’s time to have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a licensed professional. If you are not sure how much buildup occurs based on the use of your fireplace it is best to check your chimney regularly so that you can catch any problems early on. We offer a thorough inspection of first and second story chimneys of all kinds, including oil, wood, and gas. After every inspection we recommend what will be needed to get your system burning cleanly and safely.

Questions To Ask A Professional

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Hiring a professional to help with home inspections or repairs can be nerve wracking. If you are hiring a professional for the first time you may be wondering what you can expect and what exactly they will have to do to complete a job. There is one very simple thing you can do to ease your nerves and have peace of mind and that is simply ask. You have the right to ask the professional the questions that you have been pondering. For example, there are 10 questions you can ask a professional chimney service when you hire them to inspect your chimney. First, start out by asking them what they will have to do to clean the chimney. This way you know exactly what to expect during the cleaning process and how your home will be protected. Second question you can ask is if there is just soot in the chimney or if there is creosote as well. If there is creosote the professional will remove it. Knowing what is present in the chimney will allow you to take steps to prevent another build up after the chimney cleaning. Another question is to ask the professional if they can inspect/clean other flues in your home if you have more than one. Some other questions you can ask are, how often should I have my chimney cleaned, how much do you charge, what certifications do you have, how long have you been in business, and will you have to go on the roof? Many of these questions can be answered when a professional arrives at your scheduled appointment or by clicking through the company website. Generally a professionals website will have the story of how the company first started as well as list the company affiliations as we have on our website. If you are looking for a professional chimney service don’t hesitate to give us a call today 317-462-4759.

How To Clean Brick Fireplaces

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If you have a natural fireplace you may have noticed how the exterior bricks begin to darken the more you use your fireplace. It can cause your fireplace to look black and stained. This is natural if you build fires often but if taken care of properly and early enough the stains will not be permanent. These stains are caused by dust, soot, and other dirt. Bricks are very porous and the dirt and soot can be absorbed into them. The longer dirt and soot is absorbed into the brick the harder it will be to clean them. The key here is to clean the bricks around your fireplace often so that there is no chance that the dirt can build up on the bricks causing these unappealing stains. You may be wondering how you can clean your brick fireplace. It is very simple. To begin make sure that the bricks around your fireplace are cool and there is no fire burning in the fireplace. Then apply a fireplace cleanser. Fireplace cleansers can be found and purchased at most home improvement stores. If you cannot find a cleanser there are many recipes online to make your own cleanser. Scrub the brick with a nylon scrub brush making sure to scrub the mortar between the bricks where dirt and stains are often more visible. Then simply rinse the cleanser away with water. It is important that you avoid scrubbing bricks that are damaged or deteriorating as this can cause more damage to the exterior of your fireplace. An easy way to prevent hard to clean stains is to spray any soot stains immediately with vinegar and wipe it clean to avoid any deep stains that require scrubbing. Continuous scrubbing can also cause the bricks to become weak. Frequent use of gas fireplaces can also cause stains as well. Remember to clean the brick often and wipe away any soot stains to keep the brick in its natural state.

Is Smoke A Problem?

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Is smoke a problem when you use your fireplace? There are many reasons why your fireplace can smoke and many of these reasons are easily fixed. One reason is that the damper may not be opening all the way. If this is the case call a professional and have them check and repair or replace it. It may also be time for a chimney cleaning. This will help remove any creosote from building up and will help your chimney draft better. A proper cleaning will also reduce smells and eliminate potential fires. If you have made any home improvements such as installed new windows, added insulation, or made any other structural changes to the interior/exterior of the home you could have changed the pressure in your home. This can be remedied by turning on exhaust fans or closing doors to some of the rooms in your home. If you your fireplace only smokes when you start a fire you may want to check and make sure that all the windows in your house are closed and turn fans, clothes dryer, and furnace off. If that does not work try closing doors in the home to reduce the air volume especially a basement door. In some instances smoke can leak out of the top of your fireplace. One way to fix this is to add a smoke guard to reduce the size of your fireplace opening and create a proper draft. Sometimes a fireplace can smoke sporadically this can be caused by open doors, an open window, dryer, or anything that could affect the air pressure in your home. This can be fixed by ensuring that all windows are closed and your dryer is turned off. A professional will be able to better asses why your fireplace is smoking and will be able to recommend improvements that can be made to eliminate the smoke.

Air Duct Cleaning

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Spring is just around the corner! This also means that with it comes spring cleaning! You will work hard to tidy your house, dust, vacuum, and clean out the garage. One of the important items in your home that you may not have thought to clean is your air duct. You may or may not be aware that this is a service that is offered by professionals like TJ’s Chimney Service. Duct cleaning refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, heating and cooling coils, and the air handling unit. Professionals can clean any mold, bacteria, or debris buildup from the system to ensure that everything is working properly. These parts, if not properly maintained, can become contaminated with particles of dust, pollen, and other debris. If moisture is present mold spores can begin to grow and potentially released into the home. This can cause allergies or other health issues if people become exposed to them. The EPA states that it is impossible to generalize about whether or not air duct cleaning in your home would be beneficial. If someone in your household is experiencing unusual symptoms or illness you may want to have your air ducts checked by a professional to ensure that there is no mold or bacteria growing. You may just want to have your air ducts cleaned and checked because over time debris can restrict the system from working properly. TJ’s Chimney Service will clean and remove any dust mites, pet hair, and any household dust or dirt that has been left behind over time or during construction. We also clean all the registers, vents and cold air returns, plus sanitize and deodorize each vent. On average it will take between 2 to 3 hours for a home with 20 vents or less. Call us today for more information!

Dryer Vent Cleaning

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If you have had your dryer for a number of years it is probably time that you have the dryer vent and dryer catcher cleaned by a professional. There are many steps that go into cleaning the dryer properly. We highly recommend having a professional, like TJ’s Chimney Service, to come out and clean and check your dryer vents to make sure that everything is working properly. There are many different manufactures of dryers and they are not necessarily all alike. We have experience with many different dryers and will be able to assist you. Having your dryer vents and dryer filters cleaned every year or every few years is very important. Many house fires have been started because of lint build up. Lint is highly combustible material that can build up in the dryer vent and dryer filter, so it is important that you have your appliance cleaned regularly. For more interesting facts check our previous blog Is Your Dryer Vent A Hazard. If you are curious as to what the process of cleaning the vents and dryer filters are we found a YouTube video created by Appliance Help Online that walks through the steps of cleaning a dryer. This video was done by a professional appliance mechanic and we highly recommend that you seek a professional service to complete this task to ensure the safety of you and your home. Not only will cleaning the vents decrease your chance of fire it will also help cut down on drying time of each load of clothes. Who wouldn’t be happy with that? Your dryer vent and filter should be cleaned every year. If you dry more than four loads a day you may want to have the vent and filter cleaned every six months. Give us a call today 317-462-4759 to discuss our services.

Is Your Dryer Vent A Hazard?

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Did you know that 82.6 percent of residential fires are caused by dryer vents? It has been reported that from 2008 to 2010, fire departments across the United States were called to about 2,900 clothes dryer fires in residential areas. Dryer vent fires can start due to a buildup of lint. Lint is created from clothes fibers and debris that comes off of clothes while they are in the dryer. Most of this lint is caught by the dryer filter but some of it still can go through the venting system. Lint is a highly combustible material that can accumulate in the dryer and the dryer vent as well. Having your vents checked and cleaned on regular bases will decrease the chances of a fire. A clean dryer vent also cuts down on your drying time and allows your dryer to work at its highest performance level. Some other interesting facts you may not have known:

77% of fires are in one or two family dwellings.
17.4% fires are in multi-family dwellings.
Clothes dryer fire incidence in residential buildings was higher in the fall and winter months, peaking in January at 11%.
Failure to clean (34%) was the leading factor contributing to the ignition of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.
Dust, fiber, and lint (28%) and clothing not on a person (27%) were, by far the leading items first ignited in clothes dryer fires in residential buildings.
54% of clothes dryer fires in residential buildings were confined to the object of origin.

The dryer vent should be cleaned once a year on average. If you dry more than four loads a day you may need to have it checked and cleaned every six months. We want to help keep you safe! Give us a call, 317-462-4759, and ask about our dryer vent services.

Chim Chim Cher-Ee

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There are times when I am preparing to clean a chimney I find myself humming the tune “Chim Chim Cher-Ee” from the ever so popular classic movie Marry Poppins. It is a very catchy song I just wish that I could sing and dance like Dick Van Dyke and all his chimney sweep friends. Who knows maybe someday I will be able to master the art of dancing like I have the art of cleaning chimneys. The movie Mary Poppins shows what chimney sweeps looked like and what they did during that era. Thanks to advanced
technology and improved chimney tools we no longer have to physically crawl up chimneys to clean them. Such improvements have allowed chimney sweeps to complete each job easier and safer today. After watching a movie like Mary Poppins you cannot help but have respect for the chimney sweeps back then. The conditions they had to work in were worse off than they are now. The modern day chimney sweep does not have to physically clean the whole chimney by hand we have special tools that allow us to reach all of the hard to get places. I never really understood the chorus of the song. After some research I found that in some parts of the world Chimney sweeps are considered good luck if you meet them on New Year’s Day. If you met a chimney sweep it was expected that you would have good luck for the whole year. As chimney sweep numbers dwindled it became widely known that you would have good luck if you met a chimney sweep at any time during the year. After hearing about lucky chimney sweeps it made the chorus of “Chim Chim Cher-Ee” make a lot more sense. If you don’t know it or don’t remember the chorus goes like this, “Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim-in-ey, chim chim cher-ee a sweep is as lucky, as lucky can be.”