Don't Forget The Chimney During Spring Cleaning
Your fireplace and chimney have been through a lot to keep your family warm this winter
. Before you trade it in for central air conditioning, consider giving it a little more attention with a yearly maintenance check up. Many homeowners skimp on maintenance, but forgetting or ignoring an annual chimney cleaning can be dangerous for your family.Yearly cleanings will help prevent fires. Creosote, a byproduct of burning logs, is responsible for most chimney fires. It accumulates in the bottom of the fireplace pit and within the chimney liner. As smoke travels up the chimney, it will build up creosote and ashes along the liner. The smoke will also condense along the inside of the chimney, also known as the flue. This creosote can catch fire if it is left build up too long.
Creosote is mainly created when a fire is lit. Cold chimneys tend to condense more smoke than warm ones, so if you live in a cold climate, you will be more susceptible to this problem. Keeping a continuous fire burning in your fireplace will build up less creosote than letting fires go out and starting new ones.
Chimney fires can become so hot, they heat nearby walls and the roof to the point they burst into flames as well. Even if the fire in the chimney is put out quickly, it can create so much heat that cracks could form in the chimney and flue. These cracks would allow poisonous carbon monoxide gas leak back into your home. You can prevent these hazards through proper cleaning.
Creosote can also cause cancer. As it builds up, creosote may emit dangerous carcinogens. This is only a concern if you do not perform regular maintenance on your chimney. If you are concerned about possible carcinogens in your air, contact a local heating and cooling company and ask about conducting indoor air quality tests.
You can clean the chimney yourself, just be very careful! You will need a steel chimney sweeping brush, rope that measures the length of the chimney, a jug full of water and a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner. Carefully climb to the roof. If your chimney has a cap or spark catcher, these will need to be removed. Tie the jug to the bottom of the chimney brush and the rope to the top. Let the brush pass through the chimney several times until it comes up fairly free from debris. Once the dust has settled, vacuum the soot and debris that fell into the fireplace. If you discover your fireplace has no damper, consider having one installed. Without a damper, heated air is being drawn out of the chimney every day. A mason will be able to install a damper or mount a chimney cap with damper on the top.
Once this is finished, consider sealing air leaks around the chimney. Silicone is the best option because it stays flexible for a long time. The only downside to silicone caulk is that it cannot be painted. If your chimney is enclosed, fill in the gaps around the chimney with non-combustible insulation, such as rockwool.
By keeping up with your annual cleaning and inspection of your chimney, you can enjoy fires in the winter, worry-free.
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