Yesterday, I briefly touched on the subject of cleaning your fireplace to prepare it for the warmer months when it will not be in use. In the coming few days I will go into more depth on how exactly to do this safely and properly.

In this blog, we will talk about the chimney. This is one of the most important things you can do to keep your fireplace clean and safe. Make sure there is no creosote build-up in your chimney. If the creosote builds up, there is a chance that it will catch fire and since creosote burns at an extremely high temperature, it is a very dangerous and fast burning fire.

There are several ways to clean out a chimney:

1. Purchase a chimney brush that matches your size and type of chimney. These brushes are specially designed for cleaning out chimneys, but you need to make sure you have the right size for your specific chimney.  Also, if you have a brick and mortar chimney you should use a wire brush, whereas if your chimney is prefab, you should use a brush with poly bristles. The shape of your chimney is also important in considering which brush to buy. Some chimneys are square or rectangle, while others are round. Once you have determined which brush is best for your chimney, you need to decide whether you are more comfortable climbing up on top of your roof to clean or sitting next to your fireplace.

2. If you decide that sitting next to the fireplace is the way to go, you will need to make sure you have enough chimney rods to span the entire length of your chimney. As you are sitting next to your fireplace, push your brush up through the flue. Continue to add more brush rods as needed until the brush is at the top of the chimney. As you pull the brush back down, you will need to make a back and forth motion to really scrub the creosote off the walls of the chimney. Be sure to shield your eyes, as some of this loosened creosote may fall into the firebox.

3. If you decide that cleaning your chimney from the top will work better for you, you will need to have a long piece of rope and some type of weight attached to the bottom of the chimney brush. Again, as you work the brush through the chimney, use a back and forth motion to make sure you are scraping off as much creosote as possible. If you do choose to use this method, make sure that you do it with safety precautions in place. Falling off the roof is never a good idea!

4. Chimney sweeps are another option for cleaning your chimney. This option is recommended as these professionals can make sure that all aspects of your chimney are up to safety standards. Look for a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep in your area to ensure that your fireplace is properly card for.