Contributed photo/Nate Bodenstab
HOULTON — Matthew Donahue, a member of the Rotary Club of Houlton was the guest speaker on Monday, March 21. He introduced the club to his business Donahue’s Maintenance and Masonry.
Donahue started his business in 2013 employing two skilled professionals who specialize in chimney cleaning and chimney masonry. Today his crew also does repointing of masonry, sealing the material in chimneys, installing chimney caps and building fireplace surrounds inside the home.
Donahue had some warnings for the group about chimneys that are not maintained well. A blocked chimney is not just a fire hazard but is also a carbon monoxide hazard. Ideally chimneys should be inspected by a trained professional at least once a year.
For households that burn wood, this cleaning should happen more often and in a mild year cleaning should happen at least three times during the year. In warmer winters slow fires build up creosote which is what blocks an otherwise good working chimney.
Donahue advises the installation of chimney caps because they assist with water run off from rain or snow and help prevent the water or ice or snow to settle into cracks in the chimney bricks. Chimney caps also keep out small animals such as birds and squirrels.
Donahue’s also does custom rock work around fireplaces inside the home. He said they often build surrounds for pellet inserts and gas inserts. Another activity Donahue’s does is to reline chimneys. Houses that have liners made from clay blocks might need to have them relined with stainless steel flexible piping.
Donahue will be available to show his work at the Southern Aroostook Trade Show on April 16, and April 17, in the Miller Arena in Houlton. Donahue and his wife Kylie also have a business doing property management and they now own Trendsetters Salon and Two Sisters Trollbeads.
