I know the readers in the mitten states (those states where you own and wear mittens!) may be chuckling a wee bit, but we DO use our fireplaces here in Jacksonville Beach, FL!
I have a fireplace in my house, and I use my fireplace every year (yes, Virginia, even here in Florida!). I love having a fire in my fireplace when the weather gets chilly, and it does, in fact, get chilly here...damp chilly, and it can be bone-chilling cold at times.
I had a home inspection the other day, that showed some potential issues with the fireplace. Today, we had a fireplace/chimney inspector take a look, even though he could tell from the inspection report what needed to be done. This particular inspector is a retired firefighter, and has worked on my fireplace when I bought my current house. With 29 years of experience in this field, I have deep respect for this professional and his experience and knowledge of fireplace/chimney systems.
Turns out, there were some repairs made, some repairs not made, and the net net is that the fireplace is not usable in it's current condition. It was actually labeled a fire hazard, and I'm sure the homeowners had no idea at all.
As the cold weather season approaches (or has arrived in some more northern climes) please take the precaution of having your fireplace and chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional.
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