If your chimney hasn’t been cleaned in awhile then it surely needs it. Chimney sweeps can do it for a price but if your willing to save a few bucks, and then you can do it yourself pretty easily. Unburned gasses and tars build up on the walls inside your chimney. If these are not removed, they can cause a fire. Depending on how often your fireplace is used you may need to clean it once a year to several times.
A chimney sweep will use an expensive video monitor to inspect the inside of your chimney. You can do the same thing with a flashlight. Inspect the chimney from the inside of the fireplace and see if there are and flaky crusts or build up. If it is about ¼ inch thick, then you need to clean your chimney.
Chimney sweep tools can be rented from most rental places but you can also purchase them from home improvement centers. You will need a square brush end and a round brush end as well as enough extension rods to reach through the entire length of your chimney. You also need enough plastic to cover your fireplace and a large wet-dry vacuum.
Cleaning your flue or chimney is a messy and dirty job. Always wear old clothes, gloves, a respirator and goggles. Open the damper and cover the entire face of your fireplace with the plastic. Tape off and seal well to avoid any dust from entering your home. Cut a small hole in the center of the plastic big enough to insert the cleaning rod through. Rotate the brush around the chimney and work your way up to the top. Continue as far as you can go by adding on sections of the extension one at a time. Work your way slowly up and take your time. You may need to do this several times to assure the chimney has been thoroughly cleaned.
Once the lower part of the chimney is cleaned you will need to work from the tope down. Go to the top of the chimney and brush downwards from the top of the chimney to the lower smoke chamber. This is the space between the damper and the flue. Also clean the smoke shelf as well. If this is not done well enough you still have a threat of fire in the future. Use a flashlight to see if the resins and tars have been scrubbed clean. Repeat this process several times until the chimney is as clean as you can get. If there are tars still attached that are gummy or tar like, you probably can’t remove them and need to call in a professional chimney sweep.
Once all the dust has settled and you’re satisfied with the cleaning job, remove the plastic carefully from the fireplace without stirring up dust. Use a wet dry vacuum to remove all of the dust and debris left from cleaning the chimney. Do not use your household vacuum. The small particles that are in chimney soot can cause a small household vacuum to clog and burn the motor out.
Cleaning a chimney can save you a few dollars and if you do it regularly yourself, the process becomes easier and less intensive. Clean your chimney each year as a rule. If it’s used often clean it often. Just keep in mind the more you do it, the less you’ll have to clean in the future.
