Anytime you use your fireplace, the highly flammable material creosote is deposited on the interior of your chimney, increasing the risk of a chimney fire. Excessive heat while burning fires can ignite the creosote, causing a fire that can spread through the rest of your home.
What is Creosote?
Creosote is the black residue that forms as smoke — or flue gas — from your fire escapes into the often cooler chimney. The smoke cools, causing water, carbon and volatile chemicals to condense on the chimney liner, forming creosote. Over time, creosote deposits can grow to be several inches thick.
There are three stages of creosote, from a soot that’s easy to brush away, to a thick, highly flammable and hardened layer difficult to clean. A professional chimney cleaning service has the knowledge and tools to adequately clean your chimney and free it from the flammable creosote. Having your chimney inspected annually will make sure your chimney is free from excessive creosote build-up and save you money in the future. Extreme cases of creosote build-up can result in a new chimney liner installation.
How Can You Prevent Creosote Build-up?
In addition to annual chimney cleaning and safety inspection, there are other ways you can prevent creosote from forming in your chimney, including:
– Burning hot fires that effectively burn off the by-products that cause creosote in the first place.
– Making sure your fire has enough air. Restricted air flow keeps smoke from escaping the chimney, which contributes the formation of creosote.
– Only burning wood that’s been drying for at least six months. This ensures the wood is thoroughly dried and void of any moisture that can contribute to the formation of creosote.
Rooftop Chimney Sweeps is an experienced fireplace service company with the tools and knowledge to remove creosote from your chimney, reducing your risk of fire.
To ensure your chimney is free from creosote and operating properly, contact Rooftop Chimney Sweeps today to schedule your annual chimney cleaning and safety inspection.