The Dangers of Creosote & Reasons to Invest in a Certified Chimney Sweep
Every fall, fire safety, home improvement, and chimney experts caution homeowners about the importance of having their chimneys swept and inspected. If you have a wood-burning appliance, creosote is the primary concern with your chimney. Here’s why.
The dangers of creosote
Every time wood burns in a fireplace, creosote has the potential to form in the chimney. As the smoke from your wood fire travels up the chimney it cools, and forms condensation on the chimney walls. That condensation hardens into creosote. If the creosote isn’t swept away, it continues to accumulate on the walls of the chimney, and that’s when problems can occur. Creosote is highly flammable. When it builds to a thickness of 1/8 inch or more, it can easily catch fire. An errant spark or burning ember that enters the chimney from your fireplace can cause the creosote to ignite. When ignited by a spark, creosote can damage your chimney or even pose a risk to your home.
A fire risk isn’t the only danger creosote buildup can cause. Creosote can build up and block your chimney, restricting the flow of smoke up and out of the chimney and allowing the smoke and carbon monoxide from your fireplace to be forced back into your home. Creosote that flakes off of your chimney walls also can pose health risks, and, at a minimum, creosote can cause a foul odor to fill your home.
The value of a certified chimney sweep
The surest way to save your home from the dangers posed by a buildup of creosote is to hire a certified chimney sweep to clean and inspect your chimney. Chimney sweeps use high-speed rotating brushes to free the creosote buildup from your chimney walls. In addition, your chimney sweep also will perform a thorough inspection of your chimney and fireplace to ensure that there are no weaknesses, damage or other problems that could put your home at risk of a fire or carbon monoxide leak. Many chimney sweeps also will conclude their sweepings and inspections with a video inspection of the inside of your chimney so you can be sure that all of the creosote has been safely swept away, and you can see first hand the state of the interior of your chimney.
Save your chimney — and your home — from the dangers of a chimney fire with a certified chimney sweeping. If your chimney hasn’t been swept in recent memory, it’s time to schedule an appointment now! To remove creosote and reduce the risk of chimney fires, your chimney should be swept and inspected at least once per year, preferably in between fire-burning seasons. Before you light your first fire of the season, call the Chimney Care Co. to schedule your sweeping and inspection.