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Prevent Chimney Fires With A Chimney Sweeping

As the saying goes, clean chimneys don’t catch fire. That’s why it’s so important that you have your chimney swept and inspected by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep! Here’s what you need to know about preventing chimney fires with a chimney sweeping.

Why a dirty chimney is a dangerous chimney!

Every time you burn a fire in your fireplace, the smoke traveling up the chimney cools. It then forms condensation on the walls of your flue. That condensation hardens into creosote, which is incredibly flammable. If your chimney has a buildup of creosote, that creosote will ignite. If you’re lucky, your chimney will do its job and contain the fire. However, that fire could spread from the chimney to your home structure, damaging or destroying your home and endangering your family!

How a chimney sweeping can stop a chimney fire.

For the average homeowner, the creosote within your chimney will not build up to dangerous levels during the usual fire-burning season. Why should you have your chimney swept once a year? The high-powered rotating brushes used by your chimney sweep remove the creosote buildup from within your chimney, before it becomes thick enough to pose a fire hazard. Do you use your wood-burning fireplace or heating stove as a regular heat source? If so, you may need to have your chimney swept more than once per year; your chimney sweep should be able to help you judge how often to have your chimney swept.

There’s another important component of your annual chimney sweeping that helps to keep your home safe from a fire: the chimney inspection. Many chimney fires go undetected. This means that an unknown chimney fire can cause damage to your chimney’s structure. Even just from age and wear, your chimney’s lining can break down and fail to protect your home from the heat of your fireplace. Your chimney inspection ensures that your chimney doesn’t have damage or deterioration. Damage that would allow the heat or flames from your fireplace to reach your home’s surrounding structure and cause a fire!

Keep your home safe by scheduling your chimney sweeping today!

Fall is here, and that means homeowners will be lighting their first fires of the season any day. Before you use your fireplace this season, be sure to keep your home and family safe from the dangers of a chimney fire. Have your chimney cleared of dangerous, fire-causing creosote. Also, don’t forget an inspection to make sure it is in sound condition. To schedule your sweeping and inspection, call Your Chimney Sweep today! Our certified chimney sweeps will make sure that you are ready to safely enjoy your fireplace all winter long!

 

By Joe Sauter on September 7th, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , | Leave a Comment