Chimney cleaning is the process of clearing soot and ash from the chimneys. Burning fire in the chimney will lead to accumulation of creosote or soot that is flammable and sticky substance to cause fire breakout. It is important to hire a professional sweep for the cleaning task. Just like your car or personal vehicle needs servicing, chimneys need that too. When you burn wood or coal, the smoke moves up and releases harmful chemicals as the part of burning. The soot includes creosote which is flammable. When it keeps on accumulating, the chimney gets blocked and its performance is hindered. To let the smoke escape freely, the soot needs to be cleaned.

Getting rid of the creosote from chimney

When the coal, the whole log or fire starter fails to burn fully, all you have is creosote as the by-product. There is creosote deposit in the inside of the chimney, in the firebox, upon the damper or in the smoke chamber. So, when the soot deposits over the chimney, smoke cannot escape easily and this increases the chance of a fire breakout. In case, creosote builds to a great extent, there will be fire. Creosote is flammable and so it is important to get your chimney inspected on a regular basis. Again, the unused chimney is often used by birds and this again increases the chance of fire.

Chimney cleaning tips

• The sweeping must be undertaken at least once a year. For coal fire, it is important to take up cleaning twice a year. For wood fire, take up cleaning 4 times a year.
• The sweeping or cleaning must be done as per the kind of chimney you are using. If you go for cheap cleaning services, it can be dangerous. Choose a person who is reliable and experienced in cleaning. Anyone who is just opposed to the experienced sweeping must not be considered.
• Take up chimney inspection every now and then. Perhaps it is the biggest mistake not to get the chimney inspected. The professional will inspect the inside and outside of chimney to make sure it is safe.
• Do not burn the wrong fuel or soft wood. It is seen that the hard wood burns slowly and causes less accumulation of creosote. Thus, the chimney will be maintained for greater period of time.

When it comes to chimney sweeping, do not attempt to do things yourself.  You will not enjoy the experience and even the results will not be good. An experienced professional will do things perfectly.