This will allow the heat to rise from the house. Wait a few minutes before you open the damper. Remove the ashes from the firebox and remove the grate. Put on your goggles and dust mask or respirator.
#Spotless chimney how to
How to Clean a Chimneyįireplace chimney cleaning begins by making sure that you have either a chimney cleaning kit or the right brushes to reach into your cavernous chimney. However, if you can’t reach that area or don’t have room to maneuver a brush then you shouldn’t clean the chimney yourself. If you can reach this area and have room to maneuver a brush, then you should be able to clean your chimney yourself. In addition, check to see if you can reach into the smoke chamber or smoke shelf area. You should also be comfortable with working safely on the roof. Can You Clean Your Chimney Yourself?Ĭleaning a chimney requires someone experienced with DIY work and the right tools, skills, and knowledge.
If you have more than an ⅛ of an inch (about the thickness of a nickel) then your chimney needs to be cleaned. Dry hardwoods don’t produce as much creosote, so you will only need to clean your fireplace every 70 burns.Īnother way to tell whether you need your chimney cleaned is to check how much creosote is in your flue. If you burn green or wet logs, your chimney will need to be cleaned about every 50 burns. You will need to clean your chimney regularly and inspect it once a year to prevent the creosote from building up. If it catches on fire, a house can quickly become consumed by fire. It builds up gradually becoming a fire hazard.
How Often Should You Clean Your ChimneyĬreosote is a gummy and foul-smelling byproduct of fires.