You may say “We’re not getting our chimney swept this year – we’ve hardly used it.” It is something I hear often and actually it does not sound at all unreasonable. After all, if the fire has not been used much will skipping a cleaning really matter that much? Well in reality for some nothing could be further from the truth. Read on to find out why! First what many fail to realize is that proper professionally performed sweeping will actually help prolong the life of your flue Reality is that over time the flue will deteriorate, masonry ones the fastest of any. However even stainless steel liners and stainless steel chimneys have a lifetime and the creosote, which is corrosive by nature, can wear away on them if not removed. Cleaning it out will maximize the lifespan of any chimney flue. There is also the possibility that you have a blockage or partial blockage there. It could be birds, squirrels, fallen clay or even some creosote build up (some can build up in weeks with poor wood). When you come to use it in the fall, let’s ensure it is clean and ready to go. When we visit, we always ask what you burn and how much as well as when last cleaned (if a first time customer). When we see how much creosote has accumulated we can then determine if there are problems and help the customer. The photography above, customer said it was cleaned a year ago and this was the level of deposits. Well that accumulation in that liner is far more than three full cords, more than four or five even. So either there was a problem with the wood, the way it was burned or a very poor job was done the year before. A good sweep properly performed can actually help you burn less wood. A good sweep can give you tips that will help you save money. It could be stove maintenance, fuel storage or more.. a good, knowledgeable, certified sweep is a gold mine of information. It may help with your homeowner insurance. We always provide a receipt for the job, on which we show work performed as well as credentials at the bottom – WETT Certified Advanced Chimney Sweep. This may help with your insurance company in maintaining a reasonable insurance policy rate. Call us today for PEACE of MIND.
