Do I need to have my chimney cleaned every year?
Customers will ask me if it is necessary to clean their chimney yearly and my answer never sways, it’s always a YES.
One of the most common questions I get is: I only have a few fires a year, do I still need an inspection and cleaning? And the answer is yes for many different reasons.
Any homeowner that has a fireplace should have it inspected annually to ensure that it is clean and safe for operation. Inspecting ensures that animals have not created a home and blocked the chimney from working properly. There're numerous chimney fires that lead to houses catching fire in Dane county every year. Often the homeowner was notified by a neighbor or passersby that their house had caught fire before they were even aware. Had they not been notified they could have been trapped inside their home. Don't let this happen to you.
Chimney fires occur for a few different reasons. One of the most common reasons is a chimney that has not cleaned on a regular basis and has a build up of creosote. Creosote (pictured below) is a Flammable tar like substance that can not be cleaned with basic chimney sweeping equipment and requires multiple appointments to coat the chimney lining with a chemical treatment that helps break down the creosote to be removed with heat and mechanical cleaning. The 2nd most common reason for chimney fires is due to equipment failure in the chimney, whether a blockage has occurred through residence of animals or a collapsed liner. Safety always comes first and so should a cleaning and inspection of your chimney before you burn.
Before the burning season begins you should schedule a cleaning and inspection to be sure it is safe to use. When we clean your chimney we like to get on the roof to provide you with a full inspection, inspecting during the colder seasons is dangerous for us as we won't put our employees in an unsafe environment where they could get hurt climbing on a snow covered roof but will be required to inspect visually from a safe place. The best time of year to get your chimney cleaned is in the summer or early fall as bookings fill up fast as the cold weather approaches. Book a video inspection and cleaning online in less than 30 seconds.