Fireplace Cleaning

Cleaning the fireplace is probably not the first thing you think of when doing household chores but it should certainly be among the top 10 of jobs that must be done regularly.  If you use your fireplace as few as half a dozen times a year you should take the time to have the fireplace inspected and cleaned.  Your family’s safety is of paramount importance so why risk the chance of a chimney fire by not having the chimney cleaned?

While we feel that fireplace cleaning is best done by professionals there are some things you can do yourself on a regular basis.  Keeping the hearth area clean by promptly removing ash and debris from the grate will cut down on airborn dust.  Some fireplaces have an opening on the outside of the house to access the hearth and remove ashes.  Use a stiff brush to clean above the damper, the damper should move back and forth easily if there is no soot buildup.  We feel that any fireplace cleaning beyond these measures is best left to a professional chimney sweep.

When you have your chimney cleaned the serviceman will check for creosote buildup in the flue.  He will remove the chimney cap from the roof of the house and brush the soot and debris down in to the hearth. The damper and flue should also be checked to see if they are in need of repair.   Fireplace cleaning is not an easy job, so think twice about doing it yourself.