A chimney sweep removes soot, creosote, and blockages from chimney liners, fireboxes, and smoke chambers. It is important to keep your chimney system free from obstructions for safety and the longevity of your chimney system.
What Time of Year Should I Clean my Chimney?
When you are planning to build the fire or cranking up the furnace, it’s recommended to plan your inspection or cleaning. The time before the heating and the burning season starts in autumn or in the summer is the best moment to schedule the work. If you’ve already begun with the program, do not fret that we perform this kind of work throughout the year. Do not wait until next year could be a dangerous decision. If you just bought a house, an inspection should be completed at the earliest time possible.
How Often Should You Clean Your Chimney?
It is recommended to inspect and clean the chimney twice a year, and also whenever creosote is found. If you utilize your fireplace frequently throughout the year You will have to keep it clean more frequently. Prolonged use of fireplaces that are fireplaces that are wood burning can cause soot as well as creosote to accumulate quickly.
If your fireplace isn’t operating, animals might be able to nest in the chimney. Animals’ leftovers could affect the effectiveness of your fireplace. They could be a danger to an accidental fire in the chimney. Every year, chimney cleanings are conducted to ensure that there aren’t any fire hazards like dirt and debris, the buildup of soot, or creosote glaze.
How to Check For Creosote
First, check that there is no downdraft coming from the chimney. You can feel the airflow by opening a window or door on the same floor as the fireplace. If the downdraft is not stopping or reversed, tape tissue to the fireplace opening. Wearing goggles and a basic disposable mask, use a flashlight and your fireplace poker to scratch the black area above the damper.
No cleaning is necessary if the creosote groove is not paper thin. It should be 1/8 inch. If it is thick, you should schedule a fireplace cleaning now. You should not have more than 1/4 inch. You should not use your fireplace again if you have 1/4 in.
The feather-light, dull gray, brown, or black soot is the easiest to remove creosote. A black granular accumulation can be easily removed with a stiff chimney brush. A road tar-like layer is the third type of creosote. This is difficult to remove even with a stiff chimney brush, scrapers, or power rotary whips. The last and most dangerous type of creosote is a shiny glaze-like coating that forms on the fireplace flue. It is almost impossible to remove.
Why Should I Have a Chimney Inspection?
If it’s been more than one year since your last inspection, it’s time to arrange one. If you are having problems with your chimney, heating system, or fireplace, you should schedule an inspection. If you recently bought the property, you must get an inspection. Don’t rely solely on what previous owners have to say about their last inspection and cleaning. If you’ve recently replaced or improved your heating appliance, stove, or insert for your fireplace you should take the time to have an inspection. The inspection will verify that the venting, chimney, and lining systems are functioning properly and functioning properly to handle the modifications.
In any of these circumstances will result in additional repairs and an increase in costs. Sometimes, it can result in injuries or property loss. In the US homeowners suffer losses of over 200 million dollars each year because of unsafe chimneys or flues, fireplace venting systems, and stoves.
Many homeowners believe that because they don’t use their chimneys to sweep in Los Angeles often, they don’t have to have an inspection. The problem is that insects may have created nests that block your chimney’s flue, lining, or the chimney smoke chamber. Thaw and freeze cycles along with moisture can affect the chimney liner and chimney even in the absence of using it. Wear and tear from normal use is an everyday occurrence for chimneys. Problems that are identified through annual inspections and then fixed is always the best option. The longer that problems go undiscovered, the more expensive repairs will be. Making sure you are up to date with your stove, fireplace, and venting and furnace maintenance is the most secure economical, efficient, and smartest method to take.
How Often Should You Have Cleaning Your Chimney?
Every year, you should get a chimney inspection performed by a reliable chimney sweep service like Petro. Depending on the frequency with which you utilize your fireplace for burning wood, creosote remains will accumulate inside your chimney. There are many variables that affect how much creosote gets clinging to the walls inside your fireplace, including the amount of airflow that flows through your chimney, and the burning of unseasoned wood that is not properly seasoned, which can create this buildup. The creosote can also accumulate within the flue if are burning wood that is not burned within the chimney.
There is no “hard and firm” rule of thumb for the frequency of cleaning your chimney. An inspection by a professional chimney sweep is your best method to determine the condition of your chimney, regardless of whether it is metal or masonry, and requires an inspection.
Modern prefabricated chimneys made of steel are specially designed to stand up to the intense heat of an ablaze without sustaining severe damage. If they sustain damage due to an ensuing fire The recommendation of a professional is to not use the chimney until you have replaced the chimney.