Our Services in New Westminster, BC

Some municipalities have bylaws about nuisance smoke or visible emissions, and the wording differs from town to town. Your city office can tell you what applies where you live in New Westminster. Even where nothing is written, dark or constant smoke means incomplete burning, so adjusting your wood, your air supply and your chimney helps everyone, including your own indoor air.

Give tenants proper notice and a clear time window, then group the units together so the technician works through the building in one visit. In buildings with shared flues, a single chimney may serve several units, so coordinate with everyone connected. Ask tenants to clear the hearth area and secure pets beforehand, and name one contact person for access and questions.

Often, because extra height lifts the opening above the swirling air that forms around the roof and nearby trees. The extension has to be built or supported properly, though, and a tall unbraced pipe can sway or fail in strong wind. Brick extensions need masonry work, while metal pipe needs the correct braces and parts for the system. A technician can tell you how much height is useful and what the chimney can safely carry.

Climbing vines such as ivy grip masonry, hold moisture against it and push into open mortar joints, which speeds up deterioration. Roots near the base of an outside chimney can shift the ground and the footing underneath it. If you have vines on the stack, cut them at the base and let them die back before gently removing them, rather than ripping at the brick. Ask a technician to check the joints.

A chimney is heavy, and if its footing is small, poorly built or sitting on soil that moves, one side can sink. Poor drainage, leaking downspouts and frost action make the soil less stable. Water in the masonry can also weaken the mortar so the stack shifts. A repair plan starts with figuring out why it moved, since rebuilding the top will not stop the ground under it.

The evening before, stop burning so everything has time to cool. Shift rugs, small furniture, plants and breakables well away from the hearth, and make sure the technician has a clear path from the door. Put away anything fragile on the mantel. Unlock gates, and tell the office if you have pets, locked doors or low ceilings. These small things let the visit begin on time.