Chimney cleaning is one of the key step to prevent chimney fires. If you don’t use your fireplace often then you might not be aware as whether your chimney is clean or not.
Indicators for chimney cleaning:
Burned wood odors adventing from the fireplace due to lack of usage.
Fires burn in a poor way or start dumping smoke into the house.
Sight of a black damper above the firebox. Damper can be traced easily as it gets covered with creosote. The presence of black gunk or chunks indicates a presence of creosote built up.
The frequency of chimney cleaning depends on the chimney usage, kind of fires and the type of wood. It’s a good idea to clean chimney every year before cold weather. Some homeowners prefer to get it done by chimney company in spring season and some of the sweeps offer discounts and extra services free of cost at this time. Most of the homeowners hire chimney sweeps as it’s not so easy job and not recommended to do it half-way. Allocate the duty to a certified chimney contractor.
Chimney-Cleaning Log Claims
A chimney-cleaning log works while you burn wood in the fireplace. Burning a fire before using any log softens tar present inside the chimney and makes cleaning log effective. When wood burns then it releases toxic substances that adhere to chimney walls and leads to loosening of tar and build up of creosote buildup or render it less likely to fire. Some of the loosened debris enters in the fireplace.
Logs to Use
Not all logs do as claimed. The Chimney Sweeping Institute of America rate these products to help homeowners take a safety decision. CSIA accepted product logo indicates complete safety of the products. These products are labeled with a chimney cleaning log as not just as an alternative for annual chimney inspection and fireplace cleaning.
Falling Debris Dilemma
In some cases, debris coming out from the walls of the chimney after cleaning log may cause fire and increase the chances of smoke or any other constraint within the chimney. Over time, debris accumulates up and indicates fire hazard and better to get your chimney inspection done by a professional.
The Human Touch
Chimney-cleaning logs are safe but still make sure to clean your chimney manually and by a professional chimney contractor at regular intervals. Chimney sweeps are expert in all types of cleaning and signals the homeowners on any potential problems like cracks within the chimney. They also help to make you aware on whether the cleaning logs have left any debris in any out of the way area of the chimney.
