A clean chimney doesn’t just ensure that your fires burn brightly, it also keeps your home safe from fire and pests throughout the year. While most homeowners know that their chimney needs an inspection and cleaning before they light the first fire in the fall, most don’t realize how important regular chimney cleanings are.
Why Is Chimney Cleaning Important?
Chimney cleaning removes soot, debris, creosote and any blockages from the inside of your chimney, including the chimney liner, firebox, damper and smoke chamber. If creosote isn’t regularly removed, it can cause a chimney fire. Different types of wood leave behind different amounts of creosote, so those who burn pine will need to have their chimney cleaned more frequently than those who use other species of wood.
How Often Do You Use Your Chimney?
Many people keep a fire burning on chilly spring nights and even use their fireplace occasionally during the late summer and early fall. As a result, their chimney is used almost all year long. Inspections should occur at least once a year and cleanings should occur seasonally. The longer that you wait to have your chimney cleaned, the greater the chance that you will need to pay for costly repairs or have a tragic accident.
Why is Professional Chimney Cleaning So Important?
Some homeowners try tackling their chimneys on their own and end up biting off more than they can chew (and doing some damage!). A professional chimney cleaning will include:
- Diagnostics of any structural or other problems are found
- Removing debris
- Removing dangerous creosote that is highly flammable when built up
- Cleaning by a certified company that knows what they are doing
- A 12-point checklist examination to ensure that nothing is missed or overlooked
Ready to give your chimney a clean sweep? Call Clean Sweep Maryland today at 410-558-1111 for professional service with a smile this summer.