A Clean Sweep Chimney

At A Clean Sweep, we specialize in

• Stainless steel chimney liners for gas, oil, and wood burning appliances.
• Chimney rebuilding, repointing and waterproofing.
• Animal/rain/spark resistant chimney caps.  Top sealing dampers

Chimney Fires
As fires burn, smoke goes up the chimney. Some of that smoke condenses in creosote on the flue -- the inner surface of the chimney.

Creosote, a hard tar-like substance, builds up over time. When a thick coat of creosote catches fire, you get a chimney fire, a powerful and frightening inferno that can be as loud as a low flying jet.

Most of the creosote build-up occurs when the fire is first lit. A cold chimney causes much more smoke to condense on the chimney flue. Therefore, a continuous fire will usually foul a chimney slower than many separate fires.

Chimney fires are often so hot that nearby walls and rafters burst into flames. The fire spreads so fast that firefighters often arrive too late to save any of the home.

The extremely high temperatures associated with chimney fires cause cracks to form in the flue and chimney. Carbon monoxide is generated anywhere fuel is burned, including your fireplace, woodstove or furnace. Normally, these deadly fumes vent safely up the chimney. But if the chimney starts to leak, the fumes may be drawn back into the home.

Proper chimney maintenance and care, including routine chimney sweeps, are an important part of preventing chimney fires.

Chimney Sweeps
The Chimney Safety Institute recommends that if you light fires in your fireplace or woodstove three or more times a week during the heating season, proper maintenance would include cleaning and inspecting the chimney once a year.

If you burn green wood, twice-a-year cleaning and inspection may be necessary.

Typically, a chimney inspection will run about $30-$50. A chimney sweep goes for about $60 to $130, depending on the difficulty level. However, major chimney repairs can cost thousands of dollars. Most major chimney problems can be prevented with regular preventive care.

And of course... chimney cleaning.