Chimney Cleaning Basics

Winter is approaching, which means long, cold nights that can be tough to get through. Many homeowners, in preparation for the winter, are thinking about ways to stay warm, which means getting their chimneys ready for extended use. Without a clean chimney, you can’t spend those winter nights warm and toasty by the fire, making cleaning a top priority.

However, if you’ve never tried to clean your chimney before, it can be helpful to learn more about the process so you can make sure that it gets done correctly. Learn the basics about how to clean a chimney so that you can complete the job as quickly, easily and, most importantly, safely as possible.

Get the Right Tools

Because a cleaning can be such a complicated, dangerous job, it’s important to make sure that you understand your chimney and have everything ready before you start. First, you need to make sure that you have a sturdy, safe ladder. You can also consider using a harness for an added safety layer.

Other than your ladder, you need to get a chimney brush capable of extending and a damp sheet. After gathering all of your necessary tools, you can begin the prep you’ll need to do before you can start the actual cleaning process.

Prepare Your Fireplace and Climb the Roof

With your tools at the ready, it’s time to do a little preparatory work to make sure that your cleaning job is as easy and quick as possible. First, you need to get your fireplace ready. Open your damper as fully as possible. This will allow you to push through the soot and debris from your chimney.

Next, you need to dampen a sheet and hang it over your fireplace so that it completely covers the opening. While this may seem unnecessary, it’s actually very important unless you want the soot from your chimney to empty into your living room and cause a huge mess. Finally, place your ladder against the side of your house closest to the chimney and climb up.

Thoroughly Clean Your Chimney

Once your fireplace is prepared and you’re on the roof, it’s time to start the cleaning of your chimney. Take your brush and insert it into your chimney. Push it in as fully as possible to make sure you’re getting the soot completely to the fireplace. Make a few passes to guarantee that you get all the soot and debris.

If you’re satisfied the chimney is clean, climb down from your roof and go back into your house. Remove the sheet from the fireplace and then wet down and wipe off all the soot that’s been cleared from the chimney. Finally, clean off and then close your damper.

Clean a Chimney So It’s Ready When You Need It

Getting your home ready for winter is a very involved process, and this includes the need to clean a chimney. While it may seem difficult, clearing your chimney so that it’s ready for winter is fairly simple when you have the right tools and tips at your disposal. As long as you’re careful, you should be able to easily handle the job yourself.

Clean your chimney before the winter arrives and you and your family will stay nice and warm throughout the coldest season of the year.