How to Clean a Chimney (2024)

FAQs

How to Clean a Chimney? ›

Cleaning of the chimney's flue can be done from the roof or through the fireplace. You'll need a wire brush with an attached extension for this task. After removing the rain cap or animal guard, reach into the chimney with the wire brush and scrub the inner walls of the flue with an up-and-down motion.

Create a cleaning paste by combining equal amounts of salt and liquid dishwashing detergent in a large mixing bowl. Stir in a half cup of ammonia using a wooden spoon until it turns into a creamy paste. Apply the paste while wearing rubber gloves by smearing a paste coating over the creosote-saturated bricks.

There are safety concerns for both the professional and the DIYers who chose to clean their own chimney flue. From inside the fireplace, the person performing the flue cleaning is exposed to hazardous materials like soot, creosote and harmful fumes. A professional-grade respirator mask is required.

Baking Soda: Another effective solution to clean your chimney is by using baking soda as it helps remove dirt. All you need to do is mix baking soda with water, apply the solution to greasy areas and wait for some time. Just a little bit of rinse thereafter and you will see that your chimney looks clean and shiny.

Both the NFPA and Spisto recommend getting your chimney cleaned and inspected once a year by a qualified professional. Carli says that regardless of chimney type, you should you have your chimney swept at least one time a year.

On average, for a standard chimney sweep, you can expect to pay between £60 to £90. However, for more complex jobs or for chimneys that haven't been cleaned in a long time, the price can rise to around £100 to £120. Get a few quotes from different chimney sweepers to ensure you're getting a fair price.

Chimney cleaning can be a DIY project depending on: Level of Buildup and Creosote: If you find 1/8 inch of buildup or more, or if you see indications of a serious accumulation of creosote, the chimney cleaning is a job for a professional.

Controlling the amount of inlet combustion air will hold the volatile gases in the combustion chamber until the chamber temperature is around 1100'F. This will cause the creosote to burn, more energy will be realized, and stove efficiencies can go as high as 65 percent.

What will break down creosote? ›

The solution that you will use to clean the creosote from the fireplace consists of an equal amount of salt and dish liquid, such as Dawn. Stir this together, then add a half cup of ammonia. Be sure that you use enough salt and dish liquid to make your cleaning solution more like a paste than a liquid.

Remove the creosote from clothes with vinegar by rinsing out your rag. Then, take a clean water-dampened cloth and buff against sensitive surfaces without scratching or damaging them. This will ensure that you get all of the creosote from clothes for good.

Cleaning of the chimney's flue can be done from the roof or through the fireplace. You'll need a wire brush with an attached extension for this task. After removing the rain cap or animal guard, reach into the chimney with the wire brush and scrub the inner walls of the flue with an up-and-down motion.

You're better off getting a chimney relining to really get rid of the soot and smoke that build up the chimney. There is another version of this myth involving potato peels instead, and, like with oranges, burning them in the fireplace has no cleaning effect on your chimney whatsoever.

When your chimney is not cleaned for a long time, a substance called creosote keeps building up in the flue during the use of the fireplace. This creosote is highly flammable and can lead to a dangerous chimney fire (an uncontrolled 2000 degree fire burning inside the chimney).

The vinegar solution will loosen the gunk and scrubbing with a brush will remove all of it. Once all the grease is removed, you can clean the chimney plates with a soap solution.

Regular maintenance, including cleaning a chimney from the inside, is necessary to prevent the build-up of creosote, a highly flammable substance that can lead to chimney fires.

The best time to clean chimneys in your home is in the warmer months, between spring and late summer—essentially, before you need to think about lighting any fireplaces for warmth when the weather turns cold.

Because we offer these services in tandem, many of our customers don't realize that chimney cleaning — also referred to as a chimney sweep — and chimney inspections are two very different services. A chimney cleaning is an act of removing creosote from the interior walls of your chimney.

If you don't clean your chimney, you are putting yourself at risk of chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. The build up of soot, creosote and tar can block fumes from escaping and ignite under heat.

How long can a chimney go without cleaning? ›

If you're asking what can happen if you go too long without a chimney cleaning, it's likely time to schedule chimney cleaning before using your fireplace again. The reality is that it can be hazardous to use a fireplace when the chimney hasn't been cleaned for more than a year or two.

Enter the creosote burning log. This is a product designed to help keep your chimney cleaner.

A black damper indicates creosote buildup. Creosote may appear as a build up of soft and flaky soot. In more advanced stages, it condenses into a hard, shiny substance that clings to surfaces in a tar-like fashion. Fireplace walls have oily marks.

As a chemical cleaner, creosote logs will do some work at making creosote more removable and cause some – maybe much – of the creosote to flake away. Because creosote is tough, this can be a really useful step towards a clean flue!