I’m tired of cleaning my fireplace. Is switching to gas log fireplace a good idea? Does it save money or costs more? Does it help save tree or doesn’t matter?

Tags: logs, Fireplace, cleaning, good, idea
Ron Nichols Here... and thanks for reading my Raleigh Chimney Sweep Blog. I am an expert at cleaning a chimney or fireplace.



Only one safe way to use your fireplace or wood stove it too have the chimney inspected every season and to take action should it need a chimney cleaning.



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Need a Chimney Sweep or Chimney Cleaning

How to Know if You Need a Chimneysweep

Fireplaces are a luxurious focal point in any home. The key in keeping fireplace safe and working properly is regular cleaning. Chimneysweeps provide an invaluable service; these professionals can assess the buildup within the chimney and safely and effectively clean it.

Creosote Dangers:

Each year, hundreds of homes are burned to the ground due to a dirty chimney. Often, chimney fires are caused by a creosote buildup. Creosote is a black or dark brown residue that collects on the inside of the chimney. Freshly cut wood produces more of a creosote buildup then older, dryer wood. It is important to clean the chimney regularly; creosote is highly flammable and a carcinogen. Thick creosote buildups can catch fire and crack the brick, clay, or stone flue liners. These cracks are very dangerous as they allow heat to reach wood framing and other combustible materials within the home.

Best Time for a Cleaning:

Chimneysweeps inspect your chimney to determine the best way to clean harmful creosote buildup. Late spring and early summer are the best times to schedule a chimney inspection. This allows you enough time to make any necessary repairs before the cold winter months.

Signs Your Chimney Needs Cleaning:

There are many ways to see if you need your chimney cleaned. Start by looking up the chimney to see if there is any buildup on the damper. Your chimney needs to be cleaned if the buildup is thicker than a quarter of an inch. Cleaning also depends on use. Another sign your chimney needs cleaning depends on the amount of use. If during the winter you use your chimney every day, you will need to clean it several times a year. If you only use your chimney a few times during the winter, you may only need the services of a chimneysweep once a year.
It is never good to assume your chimney is in perfect working order. The age and type of chimney can require regular maintenance and cleaning even if rarely used. Older chimneys can have cracks in the brick, which can be dangerous. If you have a stove or fireplace insert, your chimney will need to be cleaned more often. Creosote can build up on these inserts; over time this will cause them to become flammable. Additionally, the location of the chimney in the home can have an effect on the amount of creosote buildup.
It only takes one inspection for a professional chimneysweep to diagnose any problems with the chimney. After the initial inspection, the chimneysweep can inform you of how often you will need to schedule cleanings and inspections in the future. This will help keep your fireplace working beautifully and your home safe and warm.

Tags: Chimney Cleaning, wood framing, Chimney Cleanor, Uncategorized, brick clay, Chimney Sweep, Fireplace Cleaning
Ron Nichols Here... and thanks for reading my Raleigh Chimney Sweep Blog. I am an expert at cleaning a chimney or fireplace.



Only one safe way to use your fireplace or wood stove it too have the chimney inspected every season and to take action should it need a chimney cleaning.



Thanks and have a safe and wonderful day...



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Watch as a seasoned professional explains how to stay safe while cleaning a fireplace in this free online video about home care.

Tags: Safety, cleaning, free online video, Health Medical Pharma, Fireplace, Fireplace Cleaning, Disaster Accident
Ron Nichols Here... and thanks for reading my Raleigh Chimney Sweep Blog. I am an expert at cleaning a chimney or fireplace.



Only one safe way to use your fireplace or wood stove it too have the chimney inspected every season and to take action should it need a chimney cleaning.



Thanks and have a safe and wonderful day...



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Fireplace Cleaning – 3 Reason To Do It

Cleaning Your Fireplace

If you own a fireplace, it is extremely important that you maintain the fireplace in the proper way. All the reasons center upon the life and safety of yourself and your family.

How often you have your chimney cleaned really depends upon how often you use your chimney and what kind of wood you are burning in it. For those of us who live in areas where there is an abundance of softwood trees, like maple and oak, it is always recommended to use this kind of wood for burning. Not only do these woods burn better, but they also do not have as much flammable sap as pine trees and other conifers. In fact, conifers are evolutionarily developed to cause a fast and hot fire to enable seed spreading. For this reason, you should avoid them. If you are forced to use conifer wood, you should have your chimney inspected once a year to make sure that there is not heavy build-up inside the cavity, which could cause a devastating chimney fire.

Another reason, and along the same lines, is the fact that if the chimney does not have proper ventilation, many dangerous fumes and gasses could enter your home, and some of them might even be oderless, and therefore, unbeknownst to you. Gasses and fumes can cause suffocation and death if they are not expelled out the chimney in a proper way. You should always make sure that the chimney cavity is clean and clear in order to allow for proper ventilation.

The best reason for cleaning your fireplace is that the wood that you put in your fireplace might be expensive or time-consuming to get. Therefore, it is extremely important that you get as much heat as possible from their burning. If the chimney is not properly ventilated, then the oxygen flow from the room into the fireplace will not be conducive to a clean and hot fire that will save you money on heating, while giving you a warm, comfortable place to sit with your family and relax. You might run into the problem where the wood becomes nothing but hot cinders, which do not throw much heat, or pop and crackle constantly without showing any flame. For this reason, you should always make sure that the flow of air into the fireplace is not impaired by a clogged chimney.

Tags: Uncategorized, Fireplace Cleaning, Pellet baskets, pine trees, Wood-burning stove
Ron Nichols Here... and thanks for reading my Raleigh Chimney Sweep Blog. I am an expert at cleaning a chimney or fireplace.



Only one safe way to use your fireplace or wood stove it too have the chimney inspected every season and to take action should it need a chimney cleaning.



Thanks and have a safe and wonderful day...



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Cleaning Fireplace – Safety First

Cleaning Fireplace – Safety First

A fireplace can be a wonderful addition to any home it resides in, especially during the colder months of the year. However, having a fireplace does require an extra bit of responsibility in the overall running of your home. While there are certain safety tips for simply avoiding problems, such as keeping any burnable debris away from the area, and putting up a baby gate, there are also steps that need to be taken while cleaning the chimney itself. These steps are not only essential for a successful fireplace cleaning, but for the well being of the household as well.

Firstly, it is of the utmost importance that you have your fireplace inspected at least once a year.  Hire a chimney sweep to check for any blockage, such as a trapped animal or bird’s nest, which will prevent smoke from properly ventilating into the air outside. Doing this will be a big help later on for cleaning fireplace and unwanted surprises that might otherwise come with it.

Cleaning the chimney is not the same as washing your carpet, the windows, and any other part of the house, so do not treat it as such. This is an activity that must not be taken lightly and is not finished in a minute or two. For best results, do your fireplace cleaning after winter and avoid buildup of ash and other particles.

When you’re finally ready to start, one idea is to sprinkle coffee grounds on the ashes. By doing this you will bring down the amount of dust that may fly around when you’re cleaning, which would otherwise lead to more cleaning projects. The first thing you’re going to want to cleanse is the firebox, which is the area that the fire is contained in. Taking a shovel, remove any and all large and small debris you find in the ash. Do not use any kind of water to remove them, as they may turn into a paste-like substance and become a lot more troublesome to remove. When you are finished with shoveling, take a vacuum to suck up anything that might remain.

With that finished, start scrubbing the bricks in the firebox. It is important to note that you shouldn’t use any abrasive cleaners, as a residue may be left behind that will make the bricks flammable. When scrubbing, use a stiff-wire brush, but you could also use a sponge or cloth if you so choose. Take note of how the fireplace looked before you started cleaning, so you’ll know when to stop. Once finished, rinse the area down with warm water, and give yourself a pat on the back for a cleaning fireplace job well done.

Tags: Cleaning Fireplace, fireplace safety, utmost importance, baby gate, unwanted surprises, months of the year, Fireplace Cleaning
Ron Nichols Here... and thanks for reading my Raleigh Chimney Sweep Blog. I am an expert at cleaning a chimney or fireplace.



Only one safe way to use your fireplace or wood stove it too have the chimney inspected every season and to take action should it need a chimney cleaning.



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Chimney Cleaning – How To Clean A Chimney

Chimney Cleaning – How To Clean A Chimney

Nothing says home like the crackling warmth of an inviting fire in the fireplace. The scents of the smoke and view of the flames add to the welcoming and homey feel of any room. But using your fireplace responsibly, learning how to clean a chimney and making certain that it is in proper shape and good condition before beginning a season of fire making is a vital part of responsible home maintenance.

While cleaning a chimney can be done easily by hiring a professional, if you use your chimney on a regular basis, a scheduled cleaning done twice a month is recommended. Since a professional chimney cleaning done this often can prove expensive, homeowners may want to learn how to clean a chimney themselves to ensure the safety of their fireplace structure in a more cost effective way.

However cleaning a chimney, while not difficult, can prove to be one of the messiest home maintenance projects an owner can face. Creosote, the smoke residue caked to the inside of a chimney, will need to be scraped away in order to ensure a safe chimney operation.

Creosote is a greasy residue which will require special tools and, sometimes, cleaning agents specially formulated for chimney and fireplace cleaning. Other issues of chimney cleaning involve animals nesting. Birds and other animals have been known to make homes in chimneys making a thorough inspection and, if needed, removal of nesting materials from the area necessary.

The tools you will need include:

Chimney brush (check size depending on your size chimney opening)
• Ladder
• Rope
• Heavy duty flashlight
• Tarp
• Duct or heavy tape
• Vacuum

Below is a guideline to show you how to clean a chimney and fireplace:

• Inspect the inside using the flashlight. Remove any loose nesting materials and vacuum any ash located inside fireplace.
• Lay vacuum hose inside empty fireplace and seal opening with tarp and tape. Turn on vacuum.
• Stand firmly next to chimney on roof. Insert brush into chimney in a firm up and down motion cleaning sides as the brush moves. If necessary, attach rope to brush for extra reach.
• Repeat twice then inspect again using heavy duty flashlight.
• Remove seal from fireplace inside the house and clean away any loose creosote and ash.

If you are not satisfied with this initial cleaning, these steps may be repeated as needed until all loose ash and creosote is removed from the chimney. Follow all recommended directions, tools and cleaning methods specific to your type of chimney. Learning how to clean a chimney on your own is a cost effective way to keep your fireplace assembly in safe and proper condition.

Off course most people just hiring a professional chimney sweep and save themselves the hassle…

Tags: Chimney Cleaning, Chimney Sweep, Fireplace Cleaning, fire making, proper shape, vacuum hose, chimney brush
Ron Nichols Here... and thanks for reading my Raleigh Chimney Sweep Blog. I am an expert at cleaning a chimney or fireplace.



Only one safe way to use your fireplace or wood stove it too have the chimney inspected every season and to take action should it need a chimney cleaning.



Thanks and have a safe and wonderful day...



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