Fireplace Maintenance and Cleaning Tips

Everybody wants a fireplace in their home. However, it is one home addition that is not without concern. If you have a fireplace in your home, then you are required to clean and maintain it regularly or else you put your family at risk of fire. 

Chimney cleaning is a task that should be performed by a professional. This is because chimney cleaning is not just cleaning. It also entails checking for damage and recommending repairs. Fireplace cleaners need to remove creosote to ensure everyone’s health and safety.  

How Chimney Sweeps Work  

A chimney sweep or a fireplace cleaning technician is tasked to do different things to ensure the chimney is clean, functional, and safe. He does that by laying down some drop cloths, placing lights, and plugging in the vacuum system. He will also use different tools like brushes to do a good job. When chimneys are cleaned, it is also checked for damage so that ample repair is carried out before it gets worse.  

The inspection of the chimney is done precisely. For one, the bar supporting the topmost opening of the combustible must have a height of 12 inches. The bricks should also be checked, and they have to make sure that they can still tolerate the high temperature required by the chimney. The regular brick will begin to crack and the mortar will crumble. If you have regular brick, it’s best to chisel out the old mortar and replace it with high-temperature cement. 

Proper Way of Cleaning Fireplaces 

The reason why you should hire professional chimney sweep is because there are safety procedures that have to be followed. For starters, the use of a respirator is required so that the technician won’t be exposed to creosote dust. Creosote dust is not just unhealthy, but it is also combustible. Creosote has to be dealt with properly so it won’t be a safety issue.  

Creosote is the material that causes a chimney fire. That means it has to be removed properly in places where they can possibly be. If the creosote ash or any other combustible material overheats, it will catch fire. That’s the risk you’re trying to avoid with regular chimney sweeps.  

Other Chimney Cleaning Tips  

Some homeowners sprinkle creosote and ash on the flower beds because they’re calcium-rich. Try not to do your own chimney cleaning if you can help it. Chimney cleaners will also do other things apart from cleaning, like checking the position of the damper. The right damper position can assure fireplace safety and energy conservation. 

Chimney technician cleans fireplaces using a vacuum cleaner and a stiff brush. They clean the walls of the fireplaces as well as the edges of the damper. The exteriors of the chimney are checked, maintained, and cleaned as well.  

Chimney caps may also be installed on the fireplace to ensure that no rainwater, animals, debris, or leaves to get inside your chimney. Adding a mesh on the sides of the chimney cap will also act as spark arresters to deter the possibility of starting a fire.