A chimney sweep removes soot and other blockages from your chimney. Sometimes, birds carry twigs into your chimney and at other times, leaves may have fallen in and got stuck. The chimney liner, firebox, smoke chamber and damper all need to be checked and cleaned.
Why Chimney Inspection and Cleaning is Necessary
Once everything is cleaned, your heating system will work a lot better. Creosote is bad for your heating system. Even a small lining of creosote in the chimney is enough to start a chimney fire. Creosote is a highly inflammable substance. It builds up in chimneys when wood is burnt. The better your heating system, the less likely it will be for creosote to build up. If your heating system is not good, then the creosote will build up fast. Different types of wood also cause different amounts of creosote to build up. Pine, in particular, causes a great buildup of creosote so it is best to avoid burning pine wood. Once creosote builds up in the fireplace, it keeps accumulating there and hampers the fire. If there is no free flow of air through the chimney and your fire does not get enough oxygen to burn, it will cease to function well.
For all these reasons, it is important to schedule a chimney inspection at least once every year and preferably, it should be done much before winter sets in. This will make sure that it is in good working order and your heating system will be ready to perform well for you all winter. Also, the danger of a fire starting, will be minimum. For the safety of you and your family, you must get the inspection of the chimney done regularly. Chimney inspection and cleaning should definitely be done every year, especially if you are one of those people who uses your fireplace a lot. This is not an area where you should think of cutting corners on because the safety of your family, and of course, your own, depends entirely on it. If you neglect inspecting your chimney and later on discover a defect that needs immediate attention, you will have to spend so much more to get the defect repaired. Besides, the risk of a chimney fire is even worse.
Even if you hardly ever use your chimney, you still need to get it inspected thoroughly every year. The venting systems, stove, heating systems, chimneys and furnace flues need to be inspected and cleaned.
How Often is a Chimney Inspection Necessary
Generally, you need to schedule a chimney inspection once a year. However, if you notice any kind of problem, then you need to call in a professional to take a look at it, even if a scheduled cleaning or inspection is not due for some time. Also, if you have just bought a new house and moved in, it is advisable to call a professional to inspect the chimney before you begin to use it. If you have upgraded your heating system or added a stove, do get the chimney inspected. Also, if you have been away and have not used your chimney for a long time, it will need to be inspected. It is important to get the chimney inspected. If cleaning needs to be done, you will be told.
Get a professional regular chimney sweep upper marlboro to come and inspect your chimney. If you become a regular customer, they will schedule an inspection for you every year and even if you forget about it, they will remind you when it needs to be done.
