Chimneys need cleaning like any other major part of your home. Here at Organic Home Service, we know that factors such as rush hour traffic, rainy days, and winter can all make it harder to keep your chimney clean.
If you don’t clean your chimney regularly, it can lead to serious problems, like chimney fires. In fact, chimney fires are the number one cause of home structure fire deaths, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
This article further explains why you need to have your chimney cleaned and just how important this task is.
Is Chimney Cleaning Really That Important?
When you have a fireplace in your home, the chimney is the first source of fire in the house. If your chimney is clogged, you won’t be able to use your fireplace.
For this reason, it’s vital that you clean your chimney and have it inspected by a professional. Even if you think you’ve done all the cleaning necessary, it’s better to err on the side of caution and have a professional inspect the chimney.
You never know what your chimney is hiding, whether it’s a nest or other things you don’t want to deal with. One of the best ways to get a chimney properly cleaned is to have a chimney cleaning service come to you and do the job for you.
A proper inspection of the chimney can tell you if you have any problems such as cracking, worn-out flume, or any other issues.
The Dangers of Not Having it Cleaned
The major reason for having your chimney cleaned regularly is to make sure it remains safe and clean for everyone who is living in the home. Keeping out unwanted pests, birds and any other animal that might infest the chimney.
The National Fire Protection Association states that out of the 200 house fires that start because of a chimney, 100% of them are caused because a chimney is clogged. When the chimney is not kept clean, this can happen, causing fire hazards.
How Often Should You Have It Cleaned?
There are a few different times you should consider having your chimney cleaned every year:
- One is before you light your first fire of the year in the fireplace.
- Another time is once every few years.
- Lastly, you should have your chimney cleaned once every 10 years.
That’s why it’s important to clean your chimney on a regular basis to make sure it remains healthy. You might think you don’t need to worry about having your chimney cleaned because you don’t light your fireplace all that often.
Basically, the smartest thing to do is schedule regular maintenance for chimney cleaning. This will ensure that you don’t run into any surprises when starting the first or the last fire of the season in your chimney.
What Are the Health Benefits of a Clean Chimney?
- Your clean chimney can even help keep your home warm this winter by removing toxins and smoke from your home.
- Chimneys help keep your home insulated against cold temperatures, keeping the moisture out and keeping your heating bill down. While we might not associate cold weather with summer, the weather can be quite chilly in November and December, especially if you live in an area with low humidity.
- Keep your chimney free from soot and creosote buildup, and you will get better airflow and be able to use your fireplace more often, reducing the cost of heating your home.
- More importantly, in an emergency situation, you can simply close your chimney and use your stove to heat your home without problems!
How to Complete Chimney Cleaning Maintenance
The first step is to secure a licensed chimney sweep
Chimney sweeps are professionals, trained to safely clean and maintain chimneys. They are worth every penny.
Never settle for less when it comes to your home’s safety: you don’t want your chimney swept by someone who is inexperienced.
Next, make sure that your chimney is cleaned thoroughly and safely
You want to remove all stray creosote from the chimney before your sweep comes in. Creosote is a very hazardous material and it can build up in your chimney over time.
Your sweep may have to remove large pieces of debris from your chimney before cleaning it thoroughly. The key is to keep your fireplace tools out of the way and not run any water into the chimney.
Although it is possible to do this yourself, your best bet is to have your chimney professionally cleaned. See below for more information.
Why It’s Smarter To Have the Professionals Clean Your Chimney
Even if you do manage to keep your chimney clean from time to time, if you are going away for an extended period of time, you should make sure you have the chimney cleaned so that it is safe to use when you return.
Usually, you don’t have to worry about cleaning your chimney yourself, as our chimney cleaning service is qualified and highly experienced. It’s a simple matter of contacting them and letting them know that your chimney needs servicing.
They’ll have it professionally cleaned and ready for use when you need it. In fact, it’s not only the chimney that you need to make sure is cleaned, but that the chimney system is inspected too.
Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a chimney needs cleaning, so always check with a qualified chimney service.
Conclusion
Chimney smoke is a natural part of the winter season, and it’s also a part of your home that you want to keep safe and fresh. We hope you learned something new this week about why you need to have your chimney cleaned.
When dealing with chimney cleaning, Organic Home Service is there to help you do this as well as professionally inspecting your chimney for any potential problems.
Our technicians are true experts as they are highly trained, certified, licensed, bonded and insured to make sure you have the very best chimney cleaning experience. We also have a very wide service range in Texas. Contact Organic Home Service today to get started.
