Over time, debris can block your flue, preventing smoke from properly leaving your home, and putting your loved ones at risk of dangerous carbon monoxide poisoning. To maintain both chimney efficiency and structural integrity, it’s important to keep creosote buildup levels low. As such, we’ll share some tips for keeping your chimney clean and safe, so you can breathe easy knowing all is well with your fireplace.
What is creosote?
Creosote is a substance created when there isn’t quite enough airflow into your fireplace. Inadequate airflow starves the fire, which means that some of the oils in the wood are not entirely burned. What’s left of the oil travels up the chimney with the rising smoke. As the smoke rises, it cools, leaving behind a residual mixture of smoke, water and other chemicals on the interior of the chimney. That residue is creosote.
How to look for creosote buildup?
The first thing to do when checking for creosote is to make sure there’s no downdraft from the chimney. If you do feel any downward airflow, open a door or window on the same floor as the fireplace. Keep monitoring the airflow until the downdraft stops or reverses. If you’re having trouble telling which way the air is flowing, tape tissue to the fireplace opening and watch its movement.
While wearing goggles and a basic disposable dust mask, take a flashlight and a fireplace poker and scratch the black surface above the fireplace’s damper (smoke chamber). If the groove you scratch in the creosote is paper thin. If it’s 1/8-in. thick, schedule a fireplace cleaning soon. If you have 1/4-in. of creosote or more, do not use the fireplace again until it is cleaned—a chimney fire could occur at any time. Source: FamilyHandyman
How often should you get your chimney cleaned?
An annual inspection will determine if additional sweeping or repairs is needed.
In some cases, it’s necessary to sweep more than once a year, especially if the operator, the fuel or the venting system are not properly matched. Source: Today
Can you do the cleaning yourself?
You may be wondering how to clean the chimney yourself. Unfortunately, cleaning a chimney can be pretty dangerous, and if you are not sure of what you are doing, it can make matters worse. It’s best to leave chimney cleaning to a certified professional to avoid fires or other problems with your chimney. Source: BobVila
Feel free to call us if you need assistance with anything chimney or roofing related. We’ll be more than happy to help make sure that your home is always at its best!
Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
168 W 71st Ave, Vancouver, BC V5X 4S7
(604) 360-2114
