Chimney Sweep

If your home has a beautiful fireplace or chimney, then it is important that you are aware of some of the issues that come with owning one. One of the most important chimney maintenance practices is having it swept as often as necessary by qualified professionals that will do the job efficiently.
 
How Often Should I Have My Chimney Swept?
This is a tough question to answer since chimney usage and resultant build-up tend to vary from one household to the other. The simple answer as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association is to have your chimney and fireplace inspected at least once a year. This should include a check for soundness and deposit build-up. After inspection, chimney sweeping will be recommended if necessary. This is the correct way to approach this problem since it puts into consideration the fact that you may not use your chimney so much during the year which means little to no sweeping will be required.
 
Is An Annual Chimney Sweep Necessary?
Chimney sweep does not have to be annually, but an annual chimney inspection is a great idea. Whether or not you need to sweep your chimney often depends on the type of chimney, how often you use it, and what you burn in it. If you have a gas fireplace, an annual chimney sweep may not be necessary since the chimney will not produce creosote which coats the inside of chimneys. Similarly, if you burn only duraflame logs in your chimney, an annual sweep is may not be necessary too since it does not produce creosote. However, you should still have your chimney inspected periodically since chimneys can still become non-functional due to the activities of pest and other debris that may block the flue.
 
Dangers Of Not Cleaning Your Chimney
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, you should sweep your open masonry fireplace when there is about 1/8-inches of soot buildup on it. You may have to do so sooner if there is a glaze present in the chimney system. Failure to do so can be hazardous. Not only is a dirty chimney inefficient, but the presence of buildup in your chimney can cause a chimney fire that can spread to you home. Commercial fireplaces should also be swept regularly as soon as there is a buildup of appreciable quantity. Chimney deposits also tend to be acidic and may shorten the lifespan of your fireplace if not cleaned early.
 
How Long Does a Chimney Sweep Take?
A thorough chimney sweep should take an hour or less to complete. However, the process might take a little longer if other repairs need to be carried out. In any case, no matter how long it lasts, a chimney sweep is very much worth it. Once we’re done, we will clean up and you can get back to enjoying cozy evenings in front of your now clean and gorgeous fireplace.