Albia is the Monroe County seat in south-central Iowa, a fair drive from the Des Moines metro. Top Notch Chimney Sweep & Services serves Albia and the surrounding area, and we’ve been working on chimneys and fireplaces in Iowa since 2002. Call to schedule, and we’ll set a date that fits our route through the area.
Signs Your Chimney Is Trying to Tell You Something
Chimneys rarely fail all at once. They give warnings first. Here are the ones we hear about most, and what’s usually behind them.
Water stains on the ceiling or wall next to the chimney
This almost always points to a leak at the roof. The most common culprit is the flashing, the metal seal where the chimney meets the shingles. When it pulls loose or rusts through, water runs right down the outside of the chimney into your house. Flashing repair is often the fix.
Cracks or crumbling on top of the chimney
The crown is the concrete or mortar cap that covers the top of the masonry. It takes direct hits from rain, snow and ice, and Iowa freeze-thaw cycles crack it over time. Once it cracks, water gets into the chimney from above. Chimney crown repair seals it back up.
A smoky or musty smell from the fireplace
Often it’s creosote combined with humid air, or moisture getting into the chimney. Either way, it’s worth an inspection.
Smoke coming into the room
Something is restricting the flue: creosote, a nest, debris or a damper problem. Don’t keep burning until it’s checked.
A gas fireplace that won’t light, sputters or leaves soot
Gas units need care too. Our gas log service addresses burners, log placement and venting.
Start With an Inspection
The common thread is that small problems get bigger. A loose piece of flashing or a hairline crack in the crown lets in a little water this year and a lot more after another winter of freezing and thawing.
Most of these problems start out of sight, so the first step is a proper look. A Level 1 or Level 2 chimney inspection covers the system from the cap to the firebox, and on a Level 2 our Chim-Scan camera travels the length of the flue. You’ll get a straight explanation of what we found and what we’d recommend, with no pressure.
If You Heat With Wood
Wood-burning chimneys need a little more from you. Burn wood that has been split and seasoned, since green wood smolders and coats the flue with creosote. Don’t damp a stove down to a slow, smoky burn overnight. Keep trash, cardboard and treated lumber out of the fire. A yearly sweep and inspection then takes care of what builds up anyway. If you burn heavily, we may suggest coming back more often. Store your firewood off the ground and covered on top, so it stays dry through rain and snow and is ready when you need it.
Factory-Built Units Age Differently
Some Albia homes have a prefab fireplace rather than a masonry one. Instead of brick and mortar, the weak points are refractory panels that crack, metal chase covers that rust and caps that get blown off. Repairs need parts made for that model. We can usually identify the unit and check whether replacement parts are available. Using the wrong part on a prefab fireplace can affect how it handles heat, so this isn’t a place for improvising.
After the Repair: Keeping Water Out
Once the flashing or crown is fixed, the brick itself can still soak up water. Masonry is porous by design, which lets vapor from your fires escape, but it also lets rain in. We apply a waterproofing product made for chimney masonry. It soaks into the brick, sheds water and still lets the masonry breathe, and it doesn’t change how the chimney looks.
Skip the paint and the hardware-store sealer. Those coat the surface and trap moisture inside, where it freezes and does more damage. If your Albia chimney has had leak trouble, ask about chimney waterproofing once repairs are done.
The Cap and the Damper
A missing or broken cap is behind several of the signs listed above. Without one, rain falls straight down the flue, rusting the damper and soaking the firebox, and birds or raccoons can move in. Strong winds can carry a cap off, so look up from the yard now and then to make sure yours is still there. The stainless steel caps we install have a lifetime warranty.
Down in the throat of the fireplace, the damper blocks drafts when the fireplace is cold. If it’s rusted in place or won’t seal, you’ll feel it in the room. We replace damaged dampers too. See chimney caps and dampers.
Pick Your Season
Since Albia is a longer drive for us, we plan visits ahead. The easiest time to get on the schedule is our off-season, April through August. Fall and winter bring a wave of calls from people who need their fireplace working right away, and the calendar fills up.
Spring and summer also suit repair work. Crown, flashing and masonry repairs need dry, mild weather, and finishing them before fall means the chimney is ready for your first fire. If you notice one of the warning signs above in the middle of winter, call anyway, and stop using the fireplace until it’s checked.
Air Quality Inside the House
We also clean air ducts. Furnaces and air conditioners in south-central Iowa run for much of the year, and the ductwork collects dust and debris as they do. Some of that ends up back in the air you breathe. Our certified air duct cleaning uses a HEPA vacuum system to capture what we loosen, and we’ll tell you if we see damage in the ducts.
Real Estate Inspections
The national chimney standard, NFPA 211, lists the sale or transfer of a property as a reason for a Level 2 inspection. If you’re buying or selling a house with a fireplace, plan for it early so it doesn’t hold up a closing. We work with homeowners, real estate professionals and insurance agents. The camera footage shows the inside of the flue, which a general home inspection usually can’t, so there are fewer surprises after the keys change hands.
Who You’re Hiring
We’re a family owned and operated company with 24 years in the trade. Tom Hunkele, our owner, is a Past President of the National Chimney Sweep Guild, and Bob Stream is a CSIA Certified Sweep. We also have a Certified Chimney Professional on staff and hold certifications in dryer vent and air duct cleaning. Expect covered floors, controlled dust and a guaranteed mess-free job.
We also serve Ottumwa to the east and Centerville to the south.
Seeing one of these signs? Call (515) 249-6337 to describe what’s going on, or request an appointment online.
