How to Keep Your Chimney Clean

Brrrrr...it is starting to get cold again. It is time to turn on the heater to warm up the house. A crackling fire would be really nice to keep you warm and toasty as the cold days will only get colder each day.

A fireplace will , more than likely, get used almost everyday especially in places where it snows. As soot and dirt build up after every use, a homeowner would have to be concerned about keeping the chimney clean so that it can be used year after year during the winter season. Furthermore, a dirty chimney can cause fires if not addressed properly.

Here are some suggestions on how you can keep your chimney clean:

How to Keep Your Chimney Clean: Chimney Cap

One of the ways to keep a chimney clean is to make sure that the chimney top has a cap. Oftentimes, debris from the outside, like falling leaves from trees, can enter the chimney causing blockage or even fire. Having a cap can prevent small rodents from entering your house through the chimney.

A chimney without a cap can also sometimes become a nesting place for birds. During warmer months, birds would build their nests on the exposed chimney top. As birds migrate, they will leave their nests behind which can cause smoke to get trapped inside the house, which can cause poor air quality.

So the first order of business in keeping a chimney clean is to cover it with a cap.

How to Keep Your Chimney Clean: Clean Chimney Regularly

After the winter months, it would be a good idea to clean your chimney from the top.

There are steel brushes with long rods that you can buy from home improvement stores. You can start by removing the chimney cap then inserting the steel brush and in a circulating motion push in downward motion then circulating back up to loosen and push the debris.

You can clean the damper and the chimney flue using the chimney brush.

Once you are done with the top portion, and you have loosened up and pushed most of the dirt down the fireplace hearth, it is then time to clean the lower portion.

Keep in mind to use the necessary safety precautions when you are climbing up and down the ladder to and walking on your rooftop. Also use eye goggles and safety gloves to prevent injury.