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A Clean Chimney is Essential for Safety and Efficiency

If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, you also have a dirty chimney – the two simply go hand in hand. As wood burns, the combustion process produces solid byproducts that build up in your chimney or flue pipe as a black, sticky layer that is highly combustible, and the only way to get rid of it is through regular cleaning.
 

Chimney cleaning – or sweeping as it's more properly known – is a matter of physically brushing the inside of the chimney to dislodge the built-up material. How often you do this depends in large part on your burning habits: If you habitually damp the fire down and deprive it of oxygen so that it will burn longer, the result is a lot more smoke that contains a far greater amount of partially burnt solids. These solids will build up rapidly, so the chimney will probably require cleaning at least every year. On the other hand, chimneys that see hotter fires that burn the wood more completely may need cleaning less often.

Chimney Sweeps

Chimney cleaning is not a technically difficult task, but it can be physically tiring and even dangerous – tall chimneys, long ladders, steep roofs and icy fall and winter conditions can make for a hazardous combination. If your chimney needs cleaning but undertaking the work is not your idea of a fun weekend, consider hiring it out to a chimney sweep.

Chimney sweeping is an honored profession that goes back centuries – in fact, some legends suggest that chimney sweeps bring good luck. Today's chimney sweeps are licensed, bonded and insured, and not only have the proper tools for the job, they are also experienced enough to detect potential problems and hazards and bring them to your attention before they result in a house fire.

Not all chimney cleaning companies are created equal, so when looking for a chimney sweep, ask other fireplace owners or fireplace equipment retailers for recommendations, or check the Yellow Pages under "Chimney cleaning." Before having the sweep come out, contact them by phone and verify license and insurance information, and also request and follow up on a couple of client references.

Typically, chimney sweeps will begin with a physical inspection of your fireplace or wood stove, the chimney or flue pipe, the spark arrestor and any other components of the system. If they see any problems, they will typically make specific suggestions for repair, or they may recommend masons, wood stove technicians or other professionals who can assist you with any necessary repairs.

Next, they will cover the interior portion of the fireplace with plastic as necessary to contain any soot and dust that's created during the cleaning process. They will then head up onto the roof and, using a combination of long poles, brushes and scrapers, proceed to thoroughly brush and clean the insides of the chimney.

As the brushing progresses, the hardened material from the chimney breaks off and falls to the bottom. As the final step in the cleaning, the chimney sweep will usually clean out the inside of the fireplace to remove the dislodged debris, then vacuum up any dust or soot.

Doing It Yourself

Chimney cleaning is also well within the capabilities of most do-it-yourselfers. You will need to arm yourself with one or more chimney brushes of the proper size, as well as poles or ropes to work the brushes through the chimney – the equipment you need can be purchased at most fireplace and woodstove equipment stores, home centers, hardware stores and some other retailers.

When doing the work yourself, take your time, be careful and follow some common sense rules. Use a sturdy ladder of the appropriate size for the job, wear appropriate clothing and slip-resistant footwear and never overextend yourself on the roof – it only takes one slip to result in disaster.

Finally, when cleaning out the fireplace be sure and place the ashes in an airtight container. Even ashes you think are cool can still retain a remarkable amount of heat and can burn right through paper bags, plastic garbage cans, cardboard boxes and other unsuitable containers.

By: Paul Bianchina