Fireplace Cleaning
Burning fires in a chimney leads to the accumulation of soot and creosote, which is a flammable substance that can cause chimney fires if it's not removed. With today's modern technology, chimney cleanings have become much easier than in the past. We still use many of the old fashioned chimney brushes and tools. However, we do not clean chimneys from the top down anymore unless the damper and lintel are too close to one another preventing our brushes from entering the smoke chamber from the firebox.
The Cleaning Process:
The Cleaning Process:
- The technician will arrive to your home in a marked company vehicle, knock on your door, introduce themselves, and verify the purpose of the appointment.
- Once the technician has verified and discussed the customers concerns, we will then perform a Level 1 chimney inspection to determine if the chimney needs to be cleaned or if there are any other issues with the fireplace that may be of concern.
- If it is determined the chimney needs to be cleaned, we then set up our work space in front of the fireplace. Our technicians work on top of a clean tarp to prevent any markings of soot from being left on your floors. In addition, we have the best HEPA filtration systems at work to make sure that no particles are released into the house. At Chim Chim Cheroo, we use Soot Sweepers or high powered vacuums specifically designed for dealing with ash, soot, and debree.
- Our technicians clean chimneys from the fire box, through the smoke chamber, and alongside the flue tiles to the top of the chase. This process is then reversed and repeated several times to ensure the system is thoroughly cleaned. This particular method gives the technician the ability to monitor and control the amount of soot being removed from the system at any specific point. Every technician uses a high quality LED light that is placed in the firebox. This gives the technician the ability to visually see that the system has been cleaned of all soot and creosote.
- We then pack up and discuss any last minute findings or concerns found during our inspection. The customer is then provided a copy of the full report, the technician receives payment, and we head off to the next job.
- Note: Do you believe in OLD GOOD LUCK OMENS? If so, there is one that states shaking the hand of a Chimney Sweep will bring you good luck. Don't forget to shake your technicians hand!
Soot Sweeping/Cleaning Logs - Do they really work?
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), there is a concern about consumers using chemical chimney cleaning products as a substitute to chimney inspections and cleanings. In many commercials or other advertisements, these products have been promoted for their ability to remove some of the creosote from catalytic action when burned in a fireplace or wood stove. In our opinion, just using a cleaning log is not a viable substitute for a general inspection or cleaning by a professional chimney sweep. The false assumption that you do not need to clean your fireplace because you are using a cleaning log is inaccurate. Majority of the chemical chimney cleaning products cause debris in the chimney to fall, which is not removing the risk from the fireplace, but more so relocating the debris, soot, and creosote that need to be removed from the system. Chemical products that claim to clean or assist in cleaning chimneys are not new to the market. Some of these chemical products are used by chimney sweeps in conjunction with the standard cleaning of a chimney by a technician. Our recommendation is to call us out to have your system cleaned the right way by a professional chimney sweep. If it were my home, I would rather be safe than sorry.