This winter your chimney system is working everytime your fire is burning, and when it’s working it puts byproducts into your chimney system. These byproducts, soot and creosote, coat the insides of your chimney–all the places you cannot see–and will need to be cleaned away in order to prevent buildup. Start the New Year with a clean chimney. Schedule a sweep today to ensure your system is safe for use during these last few freezing months of winter. A clean chimney keeps your family safe and warm.
A Clean Chimney System
Your chimney system will work best when it’s clean. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) agree–the safest and most efficient chimney systems are those that are cleaned and inspected on a regular basis. It’s essential for your system to be inspected annually and swept regularly.
Sweeps can:
- prevent smoky fires
- prevent accidental flue fires
- improve efficiency
- prevent odors
When your fireplace and chimney system works properly you will waste less wood, reach the desired heat faster, and your fire will even be easier to light and to manage.
Dangers of a Dirty Chimney
Your chimney should add value to your home and property, but when important maintenance is neglected, it can not only cramp your style, but it can also put your home at risk. You may think you’re saving a few dollars now by putting off a chimney sweeping, but this type of choice can lead to a fire that can cause loss of property, health, and even life.
Creosote, a natural byproduct when organic fuel is burned, coats the inside of a chimney. Creosote is made up mostly of tar which makes it sticky in nature, building on itself every time a fire burns. As buildup occurs, airflow slows, dropping efficiency, and increasing the problem and the risk. The risk is that the creosote is flammable. If creosote is not cleaned away it can turn into glazed creosote, which occurs as the creosote is heated and water is evaporated from it. Glazed creosote is the highly flammable, hardened form of creosote which can cause a high-heat fire in your flue. A creosote fire in your flue can damage the liner, masonry, and lead to a house fire. Not only is glazed creosote dangerous, but it is more difficult to remove than regular soot and creosote. By waiting until there is a serious glazed creosote problem, many homeowners end up with damaged liners from either fire or improper removal. Only professionals can remove creosote without damage to the system.
That’s why we make routine maintenance a priority at Northwest Fireplace and Chimney. It’s our goal and commitment to our neighbors in and around Valparaiso, Indiana–to bring safety and warmth into the homes of our customers, and that means sweeps.
Schedule your chimney sweep with the soot patrol today.