Chimney Cleaning And Maintenance Myths You Should Be Aware Of

As a home and chimney owner, you must have heard a lot of things about chimney cleaning and inspection. While some of the things are true, some are false. Here are some of the most common chimney myths you should be aware of:

You can clean the chimney on your own

With the presence of a lot of information online, some homeowners have the impression that they can do all the cleaning by themselves. While it’s true you can correctly clean your chimney if it doesn’t have a lot of creosote, you will have challenges cleaning it if you have used it for a long time without cleaning. If the creosote levels in your chimney are more than 5 gallons, you need specialized tools to effectively clean it.

Before you go ahead and start cleaning your chimney, first inspect it and determine the amount of creosote in it. If too much, ask a professional to help you.

A chimney liner fixes all problems

There is a misconception that when you install a metal chimney liner, you don’t have to clean or inspect your chimney anymore. There is nothing that is further from the truth than this. Remember that no magic happens when you install a metal chimney liner. While it increases the safety of your chimney, creosote and other materials build on it.

If you don’t clean the liner, a lot of creosote will accumulate on it putting your house at the risk of fire. Regardless of the type of liner you install, remember that you have to clean and inspect it regularly.

You don’t need to clean the chimney if you don’t use it regularly

Although, you have to clean your chimney regularly when it’s in constant use, it doesn’t mean that you should ignore it when you don’t use it regularly. You should note that the creosote isn’t the only thing that damages the chimney. Other things such as bird nests and dead birds can also block the chimney. If you don’t remove them at the right time, the fireplace will put your house at the risk of fire.

You should also note that even if you aren’t using the chimney, the unit might still develop masonry problems that need to be fixed. To be on the safe side, make a habit of hiring a masonry contractor at least once a year to inspect your unit regardless of whether you use the chimney or not.

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