The leaves are starting to change colors and the first day of fall has officially passed. While the weather is still trying to decide which way it’s going to go, most of the nights from now on are going to be quite cool, and the colder days are not far behind.

With the cold weather fast approaching, this is the perfect time of year to make sure that your chimney or flue are ready for burning fires in the fireplace or woodstove for warmth. If you don’t do the proper maintenance for these items, you could be risking the integrity of the roof on your home. Things like smoke damage and fire will quickly cause irreversible damage to your roof and your home.

Here are some things that you can do to make sure that your roof is protected this fall:

• Now is the time to have a professional roofing contractor come to your home and do an inspection of your chimney or flue. It is important that the roofing materials around your chimney or flue are not missing, damaged, or shifted as this could lead to your roof not being protected from fire. You can talk with your roofing technician about your options for protecting your roof and the condition of your chimney.
• Inside of your chimney or flue, it is not unusual for there to be a layer of corrosion built up from past fires. It is important to have a professional chimney sweep come to your home and clean out the flue or chimney before you use the fireplace or woodstove this season. If you leave the corrosion from previous seasons, and then start a fire in your fireplace this fall, you could be risking starting a flue fire and causing serious damage to your heating source.
• During the months that you don’t use your fireplace, the chimney can fast become home to various small animals – especially birds or bats. Before you start a fire in your fireplace, use a bright flashlight to look inside of the chimney to make sure that you can see up to the sky without obstruction.

Having a fire in the fireplace or wood stove can be an extremely cozy and cost-effective form of keeping yourself and your family warm. But, having a fire in the flue or on your roof because of improper chimney maintenance can cause serious damage and expense. Follow these simple steps for making sure that your roof is protected, while your family stays warm.