Chimneys play an essential role in homes that have fireplaces since they allow the gas and smoke to safely leave the home in a way that is safe. However, you may not realize that a chimney needs to be cleaned from time to time. Here are a few questions you likely have about chimney cleaning.
Why Is Chimney Cleaning Important?
Neglecting your chimney runs the risk of causing a fire in your home. This is due to the creosote that can build up within the chimney, which is a highly flammable material. If the creosote builds up and ignites, that fire can spread to your entire home and cause serious damage.
There is also a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can happen when the chimney is blocked and the gasses cannot escape properly. That carbon monoxide will flow back into the home where everyone can breathe it in. Since carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, it's possible that you won't even realize what is happening until you experience serious side effects. This includes nausea, dizziness, and headaches.
Chimney cleaning is also crucial to the longevity of your chimney's structural stability. Not maintaining a chimney can lead to cracked liners, damaged bricks, efflorescence, and even the possibility of the chimney collapsing.
When Should You Clean Your Chimney?
How often a chimney needs to be cleaned really depends on how often you use your fireplace. If you are frequently using the fireplace during the winter, you may want to consider an annual inspection and cleaning to ensure that everything is in great condition. If the fireplace is rarely used, then there is no reason to have the chimney inspected and cleaned that often.
If you just moved into a home it is a good idea to have the chimney cleaned. You have no idea what the condition of the chimney is like and how often the previous owner used the fireplace. A chimney cleaning will give you a fresh start and some peace of mind that the chimney is working properly and free of potential problems.
Think you are ready to have your chimney cleaned? Reach out to a local chimney sweep for assistance with this task. It is definitely something that you are not going to do on your own, and you will need someone with the experience and expertise to make sure the job is done right.
For more info, contact a company like All About Chimneys.
