Reduce Fire Risk by Cleaning Your Chimney

Winter invites you to fire up the fireplace and enjoy the growing warmth in your home. The ambiance quickly diminishes when a fire starts in the chimney because of last year’s soot. Twice annual chimney cleaning reduces the risk of a fire outside of the designated area.

Cleaning Methods

There is more than one way to clean the chimney. An experienced cleaning company knows the best method to use for your chimney, their skills and the height of the building. A company may come in and clean the chimney starting from the bottom. They go through the fireplace door to clean up into the chimney. Two people are necessary for the dual-line method. They use a rope with one person on either end of the chimney with a brush attached to the ends.

Most cleaning companies prefer the top to bottom method. A flexible rod features a chimney brush on the end that is used to clean the chimney through the chimney cap. Or they can use the weight method by attaching the brush to a rope and weighing it down with a 20lb. weight.

Necessary Tools

Professional chimney sweepers use a variety of tools to see inside the chimney and properly clean it. It’s a messy job, so they use a dust mask, goggles and gloves. They keep your home clean with a tarp or covering cloths. The top to bottom method uses a ladder. Safety gear such as a helmet and safety belt helps them reach high places.

To get the caked-on residue and soot off the bricks, they use a poly brush or wire chimney brush and a broom. A shovel is handy to place the material into a bucket. Mirrors and flashlights provide ample visibility to make sure they get as much as possible.

Choose a chimney cleaning company known for doing quality work that cleans up after themselves. Cleaning the chimney is dirty work and you don’t want all that debris in your home. Make sure they take the necessary precautions.