Chimney Sweeping And Maintenance Tips For Open Fires

All open fires require regular maintenance to function efficiently and safely. Without this basic work, the risk of chimney fires or carbon monoxide poisoning increases dramatically.

One of the most important elements of care is cleaning the chimney or fireplace. It removes all carbon and other waste products from solid fuel combustion. You can also hire chimney sweeps online through Chimney Doctors.

Each type of fuel produces a different type of waste and affects how often the chimney or flue must be swept.

  • Woodfire – Four times a year.
  • Coal and Smokeless Fuel – Twice a year.
  • Gasoline – Once a year.

Professional chimney sweeps use a variety of brushes and attachments mounted on posts protruding from the chimney base to remove soot from chimney walls or panels.

The best time to clean chimneys is in early fall after the soot has dried and has become hard and brittle in the summer. This will help sweep the chimney and be easy to remove.

Alternatively, post-fire sweeping is used continuously for several days, which produces the same result. Then the dissolved soot and creosote fall to the bottom of the chimney, where the cleaning machine can remove it all with the help of a powerful industrial vacuum.

When cleaning, a chimney sweep can professionally assess the overall condition of the chimney. The masonry can fail in some areas, which can lead to evaporation in the event of a fire in the apartment.

This is common with older items because mortar between bricks has a finite life and begins to crumble over time and with continuous heating and cooling. The solution is to readjust the chimney. This can be a necessary but expensive project.