- How
often should my chimney be cleaned & inspected?
-
How do I know if my chimney needs to be cleaned?
- How do
you clean & inspect my chimney?
-
Will you
make a mess when you clean my chimney?
- Why do I need a
chimney cap?
-
When is the best time of year to schedule a chimney cleaning?
-
What is creosote,
and how does it form? (And how can I reduce it?)
-
What is this
black, shiny stuff in my chimney?
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Why does my
fireplace stink in the summer?
-
How can I clean
the fireplace glass doors?
-
My fireplace
damper doesn’t work properly. Can you fix or replace it?
-
How do
I know if I need a new liner in the chimney?
-
Why do I need a liner in the chimney to install an insert?
The National Fire Protection Association recommends an annual
cleaning and inspection of all wood burning appliances. However, in our
experience, it really all depends on the frequency of use, burning
practices and the appliance type. If you use your fireplace or wood
stove as a heating appliance, an annual cleaning is the minimum. If you
use your fireplace or wood stove once a week during the heating season,
it may not need to be checked every year. The best idea is to contact a
professional chimney sweep to evaluate your specific circumstances.
If there is 1/8 inch or more creosote build up in the chimney flue,
there is the potential for a chimney fire. However, creosote types vary
and some types of creosote require even less to be a chimney fire
danger. If you have any doubt, call a professional chimney sweep.
Once we determine that the chimney needs to be cleaned, we put a tarp
down on the floor in front of your appliance. We use a wire brush to
clean the chimney flue, as well as the smoke chamber/smoke shelf area in
fireplaces and the stove pipe in wood burning stoves. While cleaning, we
run a high powered vacuum, made just for chimney cleaning, to control
dust. Once the cleaning process is completed, we run a video scan of the
interior of the chimney. For further
information.
While cleaning, we always place tarps on the floor in front of the
appliance and we run a high powered vacuum, made just for chimney
cleaning, to control dust. For further
information.
A chimney cap keeps out the rain and snow as well as critters who
would like to get into your chimney. They also have the advantage of
arresting sparks. For further information.
We are always glad to clean your chimney. As we are busy year round,
the best time to schedule a chimney cleaning is in the Spring of the
year, or as soon as you finish burning for the season. The humidity of
Summer can cause creosote to smell awful, so you may prefer to have the
chimney cleaned before this can occur. Fall is our busiest season,
usually booking appointments four to six weeks in advance. In the Winter
we have to contend with snow & ice, which makes the roofs slick and
often impossible to be on.
Creosote is the byproduct of the incomplete
combustion of wood. It forms in the chimney by two methods. One is
called the aerosol method in which the smoke comes in contact with the
sides of the chimney, much like spray paint on a wall. The other method
is condensation, where temperatures in the chimney fall below the
condensation point of the smoke. Creosote initially forms as a liquid
then dries to a tar or glaze type consistency. With enough heat it then
goes through pyrolysis, which breaks down the creosote, driving off alot
of the volatiles, turning it into a brushable flaky consistency. Without
adequate heat in the chimney, the creosote will continue to form in the
liquid to glaze consistency never completing its cycle of development.
Knowing these facts helps to understand the proper installation and use
of your appliance. The faster the smoke is up and out of the chimney the
less time it has to come in contact with the sides and the less heat
loss and less chance of condensation. What this basically means is the
chimney should be properly sized to the appliance and that burning
smaller, hotter fires will help reduce the amount of creosote build up.
It is important to note that heat output from your appliance should be
controlled by the amount of fuel as much or more than the combustion air
to the fire.
The three things
governing the amount of creosote build up are:
- Time of smoke in chimney …Oversized
chimneys and lower interior temperatures create slower drafts
- Temperature of interior of
chimney…Oversized chimneys, exterior chimneys and smoldering fires
reduce temperature of smoke
- Density of smoke or tar fog…Smoldering
fires increase the density
The black shiny build up found in the chimney is
called creosote glaze. This is a non-brushable type of creosote, formed
from inadequate temperatures in the chimney.
For more information.
Steps must be taken to rectify the installation or operation of the
appliance as this type of creosote burns very hot in the event of a
chimney fire.
A stinky fireplace is usually a sign that the chimney
needs to be cleaned and probably needs a rain
cap. The down draft and/or humidity often found in the summer months
brings the smell of damp creosote into the house.
The best product we have found to clean glass doors is
Speedy White cleaner, which is available when we come out to
clean the chimney.
Sometimes dampers don’t operate properly because they
become unseated due to either creosote build up on the smoke shelf or
improper damper handle operation. These problems are easily cured with a
chimney cleaning and instruction. Sometimes dampers are rusted or badly
warped due to lack of rain cap. These are best fixed with a
top sealing replacement
damper
A wood burning appliance (wood stove or fireplace)
needs a "class A" chimney of proper size. This basically means that the
chimney must be structurally sound, with a tile liner, or its
equivalent. The liner in the chimney is to contain the liquid creosote
so that it does not seep into the masonry structure. In the event of a
chimney fire, this liner helps to contain the fire, so it does not
spread to the surrounding combustibles. If the liner is nonexistent, too
large for the appliance or damaged due to age or chimney fire, the liner
needs to be replaced. The best way to be sure is to contact a
professional chimney sweep to evaluate your situation.
Fireplace chimneys were built to exhaust large volumes
of hot gasses. Their size along with their construction does not allow
for proper venting of wood burning inserts and most commonly create
creosote glazing problems.
For more
information
