Fix Blocked Chimney in North York

Common blockages include bird nests, leaves, fallen tiles and heavy creosote. A blocked flue can push smoke and carbon monoxide into the home, so do not light a fire if you suspect one.

Where animals are present we coordinate with a licensed wildlife service, because removing live animals is outside our scope. Once the flue is clear, a cap with mesh helps prevent repeat blockages.

Wood smoke leaves creosote behind, a tar like residue that builds up inside the flue every time you burn. In thin layers it is mostly a nuisance that narrows the flue and smells in humid weather. In thick, glazed layers it becomes fuel for a chimney fire. Regular sweeping keeps the flue clear and gives a trained eye a chance to spot cracked tiles, failing mortar and loose caps before they turn into larger repairs.

Chimneys in the GTA face freeze and thaw cycles all winter. Water that gets into masonry expands when it freezes, slowly breaking brick faces and crowns. A chimney that looks fine from the driveway can have a crown full of hairline cracks that lets water into the flue and onto the damper. We combine cleaning with a close look at these weak points.

We treat wood burning fireplaces, wood stoves and the chimneys that serve gas inserts slightly differently. Wood systems need the flue clean and the damper working. Gas inserts need the liner intact and the original masonry flue protected from the acidic condensation that gas exhaust can produce.

A cracked crown or a missing cap is usually a small repair that protects the whole chimney. Damaged flue tiles can sometimes be addressed by installing a stainless liner rather than rebuilding the chimney.

Full rebuilds are reserved for chimneys with severe structural damage, leaning stacks or extensive brick loss. We will tell you honestly when a problem goes beyond our scope and a masonry contractor is the right call.

Spring and early summer are good times to sweep a wood burning chimney. Creosote is dry after the winter and the smell problems that come with summer humidity are prevented before they start.