We are often asked “What part of the state is Clear Chimney’s Service Area?” To answer the question, let us tell you the various cities and areas we serve. If you are slightly outside of this service area, still give us a call as we can group several customers together into a common service call just for you.
We are headquartered in Harriman, TN. We will travel an hour or so around eastern Tennessee.
Clear Chimney Service Area – East Tennessee
From the above map, you will see we service Knoxville TN and all areas within the map.
If you are outside of Clear Chimney’s service area a few miles, you may not know we offer a friends and family discount rate. Since we must travel to you, multiple service calls along the way will qualify for the discount. Simply ask your friends and family to schedule us at the same day or days and get your discount. Also, check out our coupon page for a special gift for you!
As of now, we do not charge a travel fee or mileage for every customer. We do ask you confirm your date with us and cancel any appointments within 48 hours. It waste gas and time for our professionals to get to your house and you are not home. Thanks for your understanding and help.
What do we offer?
In addition to our expansive service area, we offer comprehensive chimney and fireplace services designed to keep your home safe and cozy. Our team conducts thorough inspections to identify any vulnerabilities or dangers in your chimney system. We ensure everything is maintained in tip-top shape, from the chimney cap down to the fireplace hearth.
Whether you need routine cleaning, detailed inspections, or repairs, our services are crafted to provide peace of mind by maintaining the highest safety standards.
So, pick up the phone and call (or text) the number at the top of the page and let’s get that chimney clean, safe, and protecting your family and investment. You can also fill out our online appointment request form for your convenience—whether you’re at home or on the go, scheduling a service has never been easier.
Our friendly and professional staff is ready to assist you with all your fireplace and chimney needs. We’re here to help ensure your home stays cozy and secure.
Don’t wait—reach out today to take the first step towards a safer, warmer home.
1. What services are offered?
The services include installing new fireplaces, as well as chimney cleaning and inspection.
2. Who will handle the service?
The service will be managed by a team described as friendly and professional, ensuring quality assistance.
3. How can customers schedule an appointment?
Customers can schedule an appointment by either calling a designated phone number or by submitting a request through an online form.
Why Is It Important to Maintain Fireplaces and Chimneys?
Fireplaces provide warmth and ambiance, transforming any space into a cozy retreat. However, their beauty comes with responsibilities that should not be overlooked. Proper maintenance of fireplaces and chimneys is crucial for several key reasons.
1. Safety First: A well-maintained fireplace and chimney significantly reduce the risk of fires. Accumulation of creosote—a highly flammable byproduct of burning wood—within the chimney can catch fire if not regularly cleaned. Regular inspections and cleaning ensure that fire hazards are minimized, keeping your home safe.
2. Efficient Operation: A clean chimney allows smoke and gases to be properly vented out of your home. This ensures that your fireplace operates efficiently, providing maximum heat output with minimal energy loss. Regular maintenance helps in keeping the system free from blockages that could impede airflow.
3. Air Quality: Blocked or dirty chimneys can cause harmful gases like carbon monoxide to seep back into your living spaces. This not only poses a health risk but can also lead to decreased indoor air quality. Ensuring your chimney is in good condition helps protect your family from these dangers.
4. Longevity: Just like any part of your home, your fireplace and chimney benefit from regular upkeep. Inspections can detect structural issues early, preventing costly repairs down the line. Regular maintenance extends the life of your fireplace, ensuring it remains a cherished feature of your home for years to come.
5. Cost Efficiency: Identifying and resolving minor issues during routine maintenance is typically less expensive than handling extensive damage. Scheduled cleaning and inspections can save you from unexpected expenses and ensure your chimney and fireplace function optimally.
In conclusion, maintaining your fireplace and chimney is not merely about preserving comfort and ambiance—it’s about ensuring safety, efficiency, and longevity while preventing future inconveniences.
The smoke that escapes from your fireplace into your house is a result of poor drafting (air moving in an upward or downward direction), or something blocking the way of the draft. We often ask why is fireplace smoke in my house?
A poorly, drafting chimney allows smoke from the fireplace to enter the room rather than exhausting it to the outside. A blockage in the chimney prevents drafting in the same way that a closed nozzle at the end of a hose prevents water flow. The air being pulled (draft) up your chimney works under the same scientific principles as water flowing in a hose, and it corresponds to the amount of pressure in a water hose. The only difference is that the air pressure is negative, and the water pressure is positive. Similar to the way a kinked or plugged hose stops water flow, a poorly drafting chimney is the result of an airflow restriction.
This can be caused by a of multitude of factors such as: excessive creosote build-up, closed or plugged dampers, improper construction, structural damage, chimney height in relation to peak roof height, home renovations, excessive bird nesting materials in the flue, or even a dirty chimney cap. The following are some of the possible reasons and solutions for the undesirable fireplace smoke in your house.
Is the Damper Open?
Heat rises, and if your damper is closed, the fireplace smoke will come in the house. Many people leave the damper closed when the fireplace is not in use. A common mistake is forgetting to open the damper again before lighting a fire.
The damper is a hinged, metal plate used to seal the fireplace when not in use, and to regulate a fire in the fireplace by controlling the flow of air (draft) coming in the chimney.
To open the damper, you usually have to crouch down and peer upward toward the rear of the fireplace. A flashlight will help. A metal lever inside the fireplace controls the damper. Pushing on the lever opens it, and notches along the length of the lever allow you to adjust the opening to get the draft needed for the fire to burn without fireplace smoke backing into the house. The correct procedure for using a damper is to open it fully before lighting the fire, then close it a few notches after the fire is well under way by moving the lever with a fireplace poker. If the fireplace smoke begins to come in the house, reopen the damper a notch at a time until the smoking ceases. After all the embers have burned completely, close the damper.
Open a window
Another common cause of fireplace smoke in the house is insufficient air in the room containing the fireplace.
Try opening one or two windows in the room a few inches while the fire is burning. This will increase the draft in your chimney by bringing more air(oxygen) in to the fire, which should allow it to burn hotter.
Energy efficient homes are better insulated and keep out cold drafts; however, a negative side effect is that there is often not enough outside air coming in the house for a fire to burn hot enough to rise through the flue or to cause drafting, which carries that hot air up the chimney. The chimney flue becomes the source of make-up air so that as air is drawn down the flue, it picks up smoke from the fire and delivers it into the living area. Cracking a window eliminates this negative pressure.
Inspect your chimney for blockages
If you’ve opened the damper and smoke still fills your home, there may be a blockage in the chimney itself. Common culprits include:
Outside debris: Leaves, twigs, or other debris can obstruct airflow.
Animal nests: Birds or squirrels might have nested in the chimney, creating a barrier.
To address these issues, consider hiring a professional chimney sweep. They can safely get on the roof and inspect the chimney for any external obstructions. A certified professional will not only clean the chimney but also ensure it’s free from potential blockages that can disrupt the airflow and cause smoke to enter your living space.
By addressing both internal and external airflow issues, you can effectively reduce smoke in your home and enjoy a cozy, smoke-free fire.
Grate Placement
The fire must always be made in a grate to provide enough air flow around the logs. Without a fire grate, the fire will smoke and not get hot enough to ventilate properly, thus bringing fireplace smoke into your house.
Sometimes smokiness is a result of the fire being built too far forward in the fireplace. This causes smoke to enter the room instead of going up the chimney. The remedy is to build the fire as far back against the rear wall of the firebox as possible.
Use Seasoned Wood
A fire that appears to smolder or make hissing sounds while burning, most likely has a high water content. It simply can’t burn hot enough for the hot air to rise up the chimney flue and get replaced by cooler air. The smoke and gases will not be able to exit the room.
You will have to go without a fire unless you have well-seasoned wood that has been split for a minimum of six months (the longer the better), and stored in a covered and elevated location. A piece of seasoned wood will be lighter (in weight) than the same size, but green (unseasoned, newly cut) piece of wood. It will sound hollow when hit against another piece of wood. Green wood will also be lighter in color and generally have a stronger, fresher smell to it, while seasoned wood will usually appear darker and have little odor. Seasoned wood can also be identified by cracks on the end of the logs.
Stacked Wood Placement
Build your fire with larger pieces of wood on the bottom, leaving gaps for air to circulate between the wood. Continue stacking wood with each layer going crisscross to the previous layer, and decreasing in size. Wad up some newspaper and stick it under small pieces of kindling and wood chips on the top of the stacks of wood, then light the paper. This will produce a hotter fire more quickly, and it will burn cleaner because smoke won’t have to pass through cold logs. This method will keep smoke going up the flue and out of the room.
Competing Appliances
Many factors influence a home’s airflow including interior mechanical systems, fuel burning appliances, such as furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and water heaters.
Make sure no exhaust fans (kitchen, bath, attic fans) are running while you have a fire. Also make sure all of the air vents in the same room as the fireplace are open if you have an air-forced furnace running, or else the return air vent will suck air from the fire, possibly bringing fireplace smoke into the room. Central vacuums can also create depressurization by removing large volumes of air from the house.
Addressing Air Pressure in Newer Homes
In newer homes, the issue of tightly sealed environments can create competing air pressure problems. When using your fireplace, consider cracking a window nearby. This simple action breaks the seal and balances the house pressure, ensuring smoke travels up the chimney rather than lingering indoors.
Solutions for Older Homes
Older homes often face air pressure challenges due to excessive escaping air. One common culprit is poorly sealed attic doors, which allow air to escape through the attic space. To counteract this, check the seal on attic doors and consider adding extra insulation. This can help maintain a balanced air pressure, optimizing fireplace performance.
By tackling both the structural and appliance-related factors affecting air pressure, you can ensure a smoke-free and efficient fireplace experience.
Wind Factors
If you think of your chimney as a straw, in the same way as sucking fluid up through a straw, your fireplace chimney sucks air up through the flue to the outdoors. If you blow through a straw, the air pressure pushes the fluid out of the straw. In the same way, strong winds can push air down your chimney causing smoke to enter your house if you are burning a fire in the fireplace.
This can be a real problem in homes that are located in windy areas, such as a beach house. If that’s the case a cowl on your flue would be better than a cap. A chimney cowl is designed to prevent wind blowing the smoke back down into the room below. They increase the draft of a chimney and prevent back flow.
Why Seek Professional Help If Your Fireplace Fills the House with Smoke?
When your fireplace floods your home with smoke, it’s more than just a minor inconvenience; it’s a potential hazard. Here’s why enlisting professional help is crucial:
Expertise and Experience
Professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and specialized training to diagnose and fix chimney problems. Certified chimney sweeps have the expertise to identify issues like blockages, draft problems, or structural damage that an untrained eye might miss.
Comprehensive Inspection
Experts conduct thorough inspections that extend beyond just a quick glance. By getting onto the roof and closely examining the chimney exterior, they can check for obstructions such as bird nests or debris and ensure everything is clear and safe.
Safety Assurance
Handling chimney issues yourself can be risky. Professional technicians are equipped to manage the intricate work involved in cleaning and repairing chimneys safely. They also have the tools necessary to perform detailed work without endangering themselves or your home.
Long-Term Solutions
Instead of temporary fixes, professionals provide lasting solutions that prevent future smoke issues. They can offer tailored recommendations, such as improving ventilation or making structural repairs, to ensure your fireplace functions efficiently and safely.
Peace of Mind
Ultimately, hiring a professional gives you the reassurance that the problem is correctly diagnosed and resolved. Knowing that experts have addressed your fireplace issues provides peace of mind, allowing you to enjoy your fireplace without worry.
In summary, turning to a professional when your fireplace smokes ensures that the job is done right, protecting both your home and health.
How Does a Cold Downdraft Affect My Fireplace, and How Can I Create an Updraft?
When a chimney is situated on an exterior wall of your home, it often becomes vulnerable to the chill of the outside air. This results in a cold downdraft, where dense, cold air pushes downward inside the chimney. Such downdrafts are heavier than the smoke from a fresh fire, forcing the smoke back into your living space instead of letting it escape through the chimney.
Creating an Updraft
To counteract this issue, it’s crucial to establish an updraft before lighting a fire. An updraft encourages air flow upwards, carrying smoke out of the room rather than letting it linger. Here’s how you can achieve this:
Light a Starter Fire: Use materials like crumpled newspapers that ignite quickly.
Warm the Flue: Hold the lit newspaper up the chimney. Tools such as a fireplace poker can help you safely reach into the chimney. This act helps warm the air column, reversing the cold downdraft into a rising updraft.
Use Caution: Always handle fire safely. Utilize appropriate fireplace tools or wear fireproof gloves to protect yourself during this process. If you’re unsure of how to proceed safely, consulting a professional is a prudent step.
Remember, creating an updraft not only improves the efficiency of your fireplace but ensures a safer, smoke-free environment in your home.
When searching for a propane fireplace repair in Knoxville TN area, service ability and honesty pay off every time. In the rural areas of east Tennessee, propane gas is the only source to serve gas logs and other heaters for your home. Propane gas is different from natural gas as the orifices are not the same. Each type of gas has its own requirements due to the BTUs of each gas. Not all chimney and fireplace service companies know how to deal with propane gas.
We service propane fireplaces in east Tennessee
We Service Propane Fireplaces in East Tennessee
Some of the most common issues in propane fireplace repair in Knoxville, TN is a clogged or obstructed gas line. Often times, the rocks or ash used in the burner area will clog or restrict the gas flow. This causes the safeties to trip out or the pilot will not light or stay lit. We take apart the connectors and blow out the junk in the gas lines and orifices.
Gas fireplaces are a fantastic addition to any home, offering warmth and ambiance with just the flick of a switch. However, like any appliance, they can encounter issues from time to time.
Some of the most common problems include:
Clogged or Obstructed Gas Lines: One of the main issues in propane fireplace repair in Knoxville, TN, is a clogged or obstructed gas line. Often, the rocks or ash used in the burner area will clog or restrict gas flow. This can cause safeties to trip out or prevent the pilot from lighting or staying lit. We take apart the connectors and blow out the junk in the gas lines and orifices.
Gas Supply Issues: Before diving into detailed inspections, ensure that the gas supply is turned on. It’s an often overlooked step that could save significant troubleshooting time.
Pilot Light Malfunctions: If your fireplace uses a pilot light, check if it’s lit. If not, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to relight it. This typically involves setting the gas control knob to “pilot” and using a fireplace lighter or igniter to ignite the flame.
Safety Feature Interference: Some fireplaces have safety switches or sensors that may prevent ignition. If these are tripped, it might be time to call in a professional for a closer look.
Component Blockages: Familiar with your fireplace’s inner workings? Inspect components like the thermocouple, thermopile, and ignition system for blockages, often caused by spider webs or debris. Clearing these can restore proper function.
Ventilation Problems: A blocked vent or chimney can hinder lighting. Regularly check and ensure that these areas are clear to maintain efficient operation.
Battery Issues: Check and replace the batteries in your ignition system or remote control. Sometimes, a simple battery swap is all it takes to get things running again.
We understand…
By understanding these common issues and taking preventive steps, you can ensure your gas fireplace remains a reliable source of comfort and warmth in your home. If you’ve tried these solutions and your fireplace still isn’t working, it may be time to consult a professional for a thorough inspection and repair.
Are you empty?
The propane tank is empty. This is more common that you think. During very cold periods, the fireplace uses a lot of propane. It is not uncommon to refill a 500 gallon tank in 3 months of very cold weather. Ouch. Propane is very expensive across the country. A honest chimney cleaning company will simply clean out the entire system and get it back to normal in no time flat.
How Often Should You Inspect Your Gas Fireplace?
For optimal safety and performance, it’s crucial to have your gas fireplace inspected annually. Regular inspections help ensure that your fireplace is operating efficiently and safely, preventing potential hazards like gas leaks or blockages.
An annual inspection performed by a qualified professional can:
Identify any wear and tear or damage.
Ensure all components are functioning properly.
Check for any buildup that could affect performance.
By committing to yearly inspections, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your gas fireplace is in top condition.
Are Gas Fireplaces Maintenance-Free?
While gas fireplaces are known for their convenience and efficiency, the idea that they require zero maintenance is a common misconception. These appliances are indeed low-maintenance compared to wood-burning fireplaces, but not completely maintenance-free.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect:
Annual Inspections: It’s important to schedule a yearly check-up with a professional technician to ensure your fireplace is operating safely and efficiently. This step helps identify any potential issues before they become costly problems.
Regular Cleaning: Light cleaning, such as dusting and checking the glass for soot build-up, is essential. Even gas fireplaces can accumulate debris over time that can affect performance.
Occasional Repairs: Although not frequent, be prepared for minor repairs or adjustments to components like the gas line or ignition system.
Routine care not only prolongs the life of your fireplace but also guarantees that it remains a safe and attractive centerpiece in your home.
Can a Gas Fireplace Be Used During a Power Outage?
The Functionality of Your Fireplace Matters:
The ability to use a gas fireplace during a power outage largely depends on the type of fireplace you own:
Direct Vent and Natural Vent Fireplaces: These often have electronic ignition systems that rely on electricity. However, some older models may feature a standing pilot light, which you can manually ignite if the power goes out. Although you won’t be able to use the fans or blowers without electricity, these fireplaces can still provide limited heat.
Vent-Free Fireplaces: Ideal for power outages, vent-free fireplaces do not require electricity to operate. They heat your home by combusting gas efficiently, so you stay warm regardless of weather conditions.
Conclusion: While not every gas fireplace will provide full functionality during a power outage, vent-free models offer a dependable heat source. If you own another type, check if manual ignition is an option to ensure you’re prepared for any electrical disruptions. Ultimately, having a gas fireplace can be a great backup to keep your home warm when you need it most.
Comprehensive Gas Fireplace Repair Services
In addition to tackling common propane issues, our team handles a wide range of gas appliance needs and repairs, including:
Pilot Light Repairs: Ensuring your fireplace ignites smoothly.
Gasket Repairs: Fixing seals to prevent leaks and ensure efficiency.
Log Installations: Safely setting up your gas logs for optimal performance.
Fireplace Conversions: Transitioning between different fuel types to suit your needs.
Glass Cleaning: Maintaining clear, clean glass for unobstructed viewing.
Valve Repairs: Adjusting or replacing valves to regulate gas flow.
Burner Repairs: Ensuring even flame distribution for safety and aesthetics.
By combining specialized knowledge of propane systems with a comprehensive suite of repair services, we ensure your fireplace functions efficiently and safely, keeping your home warm and cozy throughout the chilly months.
Why Choose Experienced Technicians?
Quick Response: A prompt service ensures your fireplace is back in working order swiftly.
Comprehensive Diagnosis: Experts can identify and address a wide range of issues, restoring your system to peak performance.
Safety Assurance: Trustworthy technicians prioritize safety, ensuring your home remains secure and your fireplace functions efficiently.
For peace of mind and top-notch service, ensure you reach out to a reliable and experienced service provider in Knoxville. They’ll handle your concerns with expertise and ensure your fireplace operates safely and efficiently.
