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First thing’s first. You should remove anything that is in front of your Theatre District, NY fireplace. Also, move any furniture as far away as possible. If you don’t want anything getting dirty, make sure you cover everything with old sheets. You should also roll back any rugs that are near the fireplace. If you have carpeting, it would be wise to set down a tarp.
This may go without saying, but do not operate an open flame in the area surrounding the fireplace while attempting to do any chimney cleaning in New York County. Be sure to wear a dust mask and protective gloves while you attempt to clean the fireplace. While being mindful not to inhale any dust or soot, shovel out ashes and debris from the inside of the fireplace.
Use a torch, (carefully!) to look up the flue of the chimney. If there is a damper fitted to your flue, you will need to ensure it is open. If there is, use the damper handle to push the flap back and lock it open. Check for any animals or birds that may have taken up residence in your New York County chimney. Inspect for any cracks or missing firebricks and take remedial steps if the damage is found. The lining of your flue is important to prevent gas or smoke from escaping. Check the thickness of any creosote build-up using a blade or scraper. If you notice significant damage, it may be time to get some professional chimney cleaning company, or even chimney repair, with Ageless Chimney.
By now you should have determined the size and shape of your New York County chimney flue. It will be either square or round. You should also estimate the height of your chimney. Once you choose the correct brush, attach it to a rod. Push the rod up the flue until the bottom end of the rod is in the middle of the fireplace.
Start scrubbing up your chimney by going through the hole in your dust sheet or cardboard, attach another rod to lengthen your chimney brush. Scrub using a slight clockwise movement as you push, and never twist the brush counterclockwise. With a hard and vigorous thrust, scrub the flue with the brush, adding more rods as you proceed up the flue.
You will know that you have reached the top of your chimney when you feel less friction. Withdraw the brush unscrewing one rod at a time. As you unscrew the last rod, let the brush fall into the soot pile that now lies at the bottom of the fireplace. Lift the bottom of the dust sheet or cardboard covering, remove the brush and carefully shovel the pile of soot into a metal bucket.
The first thing you should do is remove any dust cloths or cardboard that may have been assembled. It is now time to get the vacuum or shop vacuum out and clean up all that soot! To complete the project, you will need to assemble the fireplace’s grate once more. If you used an old sheet, you should take it outside and shake it off. As soot is non-toxic and environmentally friendly, it can be buried as a means of disposal. Hard deposits of creosote are corrosive and more toxic, however, they can be buried too. Any edible plants in your garden will not absorb creosote, and when you eat the fruit or vegetables they produce, they will not contain the chemicals present in creosote.
Getting your chimney swept and inspected improves the quality of the air in your home, keeps your loved ones safe from toxins, and reduces your home’s fire risk. Ageless Chimney takes pride in providing the safest, most cost-effective cleaning procedures. Call us today at 516-795-1313!
New York City’s Theater District is an area and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan where most Broadway theaters are located, as well as many other theaters, movie theaters, restaurants, hotels, and other places of entertainment. It is bounded by West 40th Street on the south, West 54th Street on the north, Sixth Avenue on the east and Eighth Avenue on the west, and includes Times Square. The Great White Way is the name given to the section of Broadway which runs through the Theater District.
In 1836, mayor Cornelius Lawrence opened 42nd Street to encourage the city’s northern expansion, saying “move up town and enjoy the pure, clean air”. The Theater District began attracting theaters and restaurants after the Metropolitan Opera House moved to West 39th Street and Broadway in 1883. Oscar Hammerstein I opened his Victoria Theatre on 42nd Street in 1899. Accessibility to the Theater District improved as electrified trolley lines started in 1899, followed by the opening of the New York City Subway’s first line in 1904.
“The Great White Way” is a nickname for a section of Broadway in Midtown Manhattan that encompasses the Theater District. In 1880, Broadway between Union Square and Madison Square was illuminated by Brush arc lamps, making it among the first electrically lighted streets in the United States. By the 1890s, 23rd Street to 34th Street was so brightly illuminated by electrical advertising signs people began calling it “The Great White Way”. As the theater district shifted uptown just before the turn of the century, the nickname stuck and became synonymous.
Over the years, the district has been referred to by New Yorkers as “the Rialto”, “The Main Stem”, and “Broadway”. Around the turn of the 20th century, it was simply called “The Street”.
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