ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The chill in the air is leading to many people cranking up the heat, but before you fire up your fireplace, there are some dangers to keep in mind.
69 News Reporter Sydney Kay was in Allentown with tips from a local expert.
Michael Wittkopp, Director of Operations at Lehigh Valley Chimney, said the business is as busy as ever making sure chimneys are clean this season.
Every year, the biggest challenge companies like his face is the initial rush of customers because of the temperature changes.
The company’s created a fun safety mascot, “Fluey Louie,” to get people excited about chimneys, he said.
He said chimneys are an integral part of homes’ heating processes. Some people rely only on chimneys to vent out dangerous gases in their homes.
“Our major focus is being able to protect the Valley, one chimney at a time,” he said.
He said with that comes maintenance and getting ahead of the ball before it’s the eleventh hour.
Make sure no water gets into the chimney, which along with heat can cause significant damage, he said.
Check out your carbon monoxide detectors in your basement and make sure the batteries are not out of date.
That way, if something were to happen, you will be well protected, Wittkopp said.
If you are going to light a fire and smoke rolls back into your home or you notice any type of staining on the front of the fireplace, that’s not a good sign, he said.
Smoke should be exiting the home, not coming back into it, he said.
To learn more, you can head to the Lehigh Valley Chimney website and its Facebook and Instagram pages.