A Chimney normal down sweep Wertz & Co Inc. first prepares the area. We use tarps, bags, sealing, vacuums and skill for a spotless clean sweep. Our Certified Chimney technicians seal your fireplace/stove opening and we provide and airway so our vacuum will eliminate any soot escaping into the air as the sweep is completed. The thorough down sweep from the chimney to firebox is the body of our sweep. To finish we come in and do a detailed cleaning of the base of the chimney and firebox and remove all ash and debris.

A Chimney cap is a layer of metal or concrete around the top of the chimney. The purpose of a chimney cap is to protect the upper bricks from severe weather. A metal chimney cap is used for wood burning stoves. A metal chimney cap is needed to keep rain from falling down the chimney, to keep birds or other small animals from nesting inside, and to prevent moisture from entering the chimney.

A concrete chimney cap is also used to keep water and animals out of the chimney. Disadvantages to concrete chimney caps include: allowing too much of a draft and discoloration of the chimneys exterior. It also makes sweeping the chimney impossible because you can not remove the cap to get the brushes and poles into position for a proper cleaning.

Customized chimney caps can be matched to your type of chimney. Different chimney caps can also be bought when there are draft problems or the cap has worn out. We are experts in what cap suits your needs the best.

If we notice that your cap is worn or has been damaged, we will let you know in our inspection report. We will also suggest several ways to take care of the damaged cap. We want our customers to be informed of all the options and the best price available to them.

Wertz & Co Inc. can also provide you with personalized touches by showing you a variety of shapes and sizes of Custom Caps that will solve any draft and/or odor problems. We will happy to complete your chimney with your desired style and detail.

You will need relining if:

• You have an unlined flue
• If your liner is improperly sized or the integrity of the structure is compromised, cracked tiles, missing mortar, (i.e., joints)
• Youve updated your furnace system to a more efficient one, and you have not had a new appropriately sized liner installed.
• You see efflorescence, (a whitish discoloration) on the exterior of the furnace chimney.

The purpose of a chimney liner is to contain the byproducts of combustion (heat, moisture, creosote, carbon monoxide and other dangerous elements) until they discharged from your chimney. A cracked liner or a liner with missing mortar between the joints cannot perform its intended function.

If your fireplace does not have a liner it is highly recommended to get one installed. Without a liner, harmful byproducts can easily travel into your home. If you do not take proper care of your chimney a flue fire can quickly spread to the rest of your home, endangering you, your loved ones and destroying your properly. A well maintained liner solves this problem.

A damper is a metal plate which you open when using the fireplace and close when the fireplace is not in use. Without a properly working damper you throw hundreds of dollars a year right up the chimney in heating costs. A damper also prevents unwanted critters invading your home.

A Lock-Top damper is an effective replacement for a throat style damper in a masonry chimney and saves a lot of money in heating bills.

A Lymance Top sealing fireplace damper helps prevent heat loss in masonry chimneys and can save up to $200 annually.

A Spider damper is a replacement damper in a prefab chimney.

Questions to ask yourself about your damper:

1. Is an existing damper (often incorrectly referred to as the flue) of the fireplace awkward to open or close?
2. Does this damper shut without your knowledge?
3. Does cold air blow down through your chimney?

If the answer is yes, contact Wertz & Co Inc. at (302) 658-5186 to arrange for our certified chimney technician to discuss the benefits of a top-mounted damper on your fireplace chimney.

Moisture is a common starting place for masonry deterioration and can cause more costly chimney problems. With the heavy rain and driving winds of the winter season in Deleware, water damage can be a very real concern. We can waterproof your entire chimney to eliminate this trouble. We will repair existing damage as well.

Due to exposure to the elements, usage and the passage of time, bricks and mortar eventually show signs of wear. Depending upon the degree of deterioration different types of repairs are required. Timely maintenance of your chimney structure will ensure years of uninterrupted safe enjoyment and will enhance the value of your home.

Tuck-Pointing is repairing missing mortar around existing bricks. The face of the bricks may shale or fall off. If left unattended, these bricks will continue to deteriorate and entire bricks may eventually fall out of the chimney. If these loose bricks fall inside the chimney, a carbon monoxide problem can occur. To prevent continued deterioration, to avoid future costly repairs, and to determine the reason for this problem, contact us at Wertz & Co Inc.

Crown repairs range from minor crown seals to complete crown rebuilds. If deterioration is left unattended it will lead to damage to the chimney structure beneath.

The strip of metal that joins the base of the chimney to the roofline is flashing. The flashing prevents water from penetrating this joint and seeping into your house. A flashing seal is needed when sections of the flashing have lifted.

The firebox is the part of the fireplace where the wood is placed in order to make a fire. If you have loose or damaged bricks in the back or sides of your firebox or deteriorating mortar joints, we will remove and replace them, then grind out remaining deteriorated joints and tuck-point them.

We can rebuild your firebox with new firebricks and high temperature refractory mortar; thereby restoring the structural integrity of this important part of your fireplace system.

If you see cracks, uneven areas of mortar, voids, or noticeable gaps between the bricks on the walls of your chimney, contact us. We will provide you with an estimate for repair the damaged areas on your chimney.

Wertz & Co Inc. removes existing build-up of creosote and loose masonry from the smoke chamber (the area above the damper). We coat the firebox walls with one inch of a fire proof, insulation material. This protective coating will fill voids between bricks, fill cracks and holes within the bricks, and insulate the chamber for heating efficiency and safety. It leaves a smooth surface for more efficient flow of smoke and gasses. It will provide increased structural strength for the entire chimney structure.

We will insert, install or remove woodstoves, freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts and pellet stoves. We also provide custom fireplaces, mantel, or stove to fit your personal style.

We provide state of the art chimney video inspections that enable us to detect problems within the chimneys middle area and inside the flue. With this system, we can spot missing mortar, cracked tiles, broken bricks, severe holes in your liner and other dangerous problems. This is especially a must for older chimneys with smoking or odor problems, and ones that has ever had a chimney fire.

As a courtesy to our customers, we automatically place you into a yearly reminder report. In this report, we keep detailed information on any previous service we completed for you and any pending work that you needed.

You can contact us at Wertz & Co Inc. (302) 658-5186.