Chimneys, as well as other appliances which burn fuel and vent outdoors such as fireplaces that burn wood or gas, chimneys serving wood stoves, water heater flues & furnace flues, and vented gas hearth products: gas fireplaces, gas freestanding stoves, gas logs & gas inserts, need annual inspection and regular sweeping.

Wood burning fireplaces and wood stoves leaves tiny, unburned but flammable substance created from the smoke called creosote which accumulates and sticks to the chimney walls. Too much creosote can cause blockages and decreases air flow. A spark may light this creosote and result into a chimney fire. If you see more than three millimetres of this tar-like substance in your chimney, then it means it’s time to sweep.

Preassembled fireplaces, on the other hand, has hidden dangers. These dangers are most of the times results from improper installation processes. Pipes wrongly connected, overfiring and general deterioration can lead to home fires. According to Chimney Safety Institute of America, a prefabricated fireplace which had chimney fire before should never be used again.

Furnace flues & water heater flues are most hazardous because of their chemical residue. Fumes which escapes from these has larger amount of carbon monoxide than regular wood smoke. This harmful smoke may enter your homes through leaky connector pipes, improper flue sizing and other various chimney problems such as cracked flue tiles, oversized flues or undersized flues and structural defects or deterioration. Being colourless and odourless gas, carbon monoxide is difficult for people to identify; carbon monoxide poisoning may result to headaches, vertigo, and flu-like effects; larger exposures may lead to significant toxicity of the central nervous system, heart and even death.

Basic chimney maintenance includes checking for obtrusions, structural damage, and soot or creosote deposits. You will need to change to old clothes and wear protective eye gear and dust mask. Carefully climb up your roof and remove your chimney cap; chimney caps help keep sparks from escaping from your chimney and protect it from rain, small animals such as birds and squirrels, and other debris. You can use a steel brush for masonry flue and a softer plastic brush for metal linings. There should be enough extension rods to reach from the roof to the clean out. Use a vacuum cleaner or a small broom and a dustpan to gather the ashes and creosote from the fireplace and the damper.

Call an expert chimney sweep for a more effective and reliable chimney cleaning and maintenance. Every cracks, deterioration, airflow and draft control, creosote build-up, and many other things will be examined and cleaned, to ensure a safe and efficiently-working fireplace.