Do It Yourself and Other Educational Chimney and Fire Safety Articles

This cross section of a chimney gives you an idea of all the parts that need to be cleaned and free of creosote when a chimney sweep is performed.  It is entirely possible to do this project yourself and we provide step by step instructions on how to sweep your chimney below, however, this is one of those around the home jobs that is better left to the professionals.  Safety should be your priority and a professional will be able to identify hazards as well as clean your chimney.  Please take the following information into account when making the decision to clean your own chimney.

A lot of customers want to know what the average cost of getting your chimney cleaned and inspected will run.   While every professional is different, you should expect to pay around $200-$300 depending on the area of the US you are located in, what type of chimney you have, who you hire to do your cleaning, how steep your roof is, and how dirty your chimney is.  Costs can vary greatly, so please take this as an average estimate, not a guarantee.  The cost of the initial cleaning may be more expensive than any subsequent cleaning. Any build-up that has solidified over the years may be very difficult to remove and so the cleaning will need to be more extensive and this cannot be determined until after the professional has come to your home and inspected your chimney.

Stove inserts that do not have liners that run to the top of the chimney need to be pulled out for access and run an extra $40-$50.  Compare this to the cost of the supplies you will need, a brush and rod set runs about $30 for a masonry chimney and will slightly more for a metal chimney, plus all the other helpful equipment that you would need: a shop vacuum, ladder, stiff scrubbing brush, safety goggles, dust mask and drop cloths.  These items all add up but could potentially pay for themselves after years of regular cleanings.  More important than a cost variance analysis between hiring a professional and doing it yourself is SAFETY for you and your family. 

Most homeowners do not have working knowledge of their chimney and venting systems. This situation is complicated by the fact that faults, damage and problems are rarely visible to the casual observer. In fact, people who will quickly replace a faulty automobile exhaust system because of the hazard it presents will allow their chimney or vent to go unchecked and unmaintained for years.  You should be cleaning your chimney every 50 to 75 fires or if you do not use it that often, annually. The threat of chimney fires and unsafe indoor air quality conditions can be greatly reduced, perhaps even eliminated, if homeowners understood that chimneys are active home operation systems which require an annual cleaning and maintenance. 

Cleaning means removing the hazard of accumulated and highly combustible creosote produced by burning wood and wood products. It means eliminating the build-up of soot in coal-and-oil-fired systems, and it means getting rid of bird and animal nests, leaves and other debris that may create a hazard by blocking the flow of emissions from a home heating appliance.  You don’t want any of these harmful chemicals entering into your home and the actual cleaning process is not good for your lungs.  The health of you and your family is another factor that leads a lot of people to outsource this job to the professionals who have the correct safety equipment and know how to maintain clean air quality within your home.

 

Here are some steps to follow when performing your annual chimney cleaning if you wish to do it yourself.

1.       Place a drop cloth or tarp is in front of fireplace, with at least a five foot radius surrounding the fireplace area to catch any creosote (aka: soot) that will disperse into the room.

2.       If there is a large amount of ash that has accumulated in your firebox, scoop it out first.  Also, remove your fireplace grate, so you can access your chimney free of obstructions.

3.       Inspect the chimney to determine level of dirtiness and safety.  You can use a flashlight to look into the chimney but we recommend that you drop a camera from the rooftop to get close up views of the chimney liner, damper, smoke shelf and firebox from all sides.  It is important to know that a chimney deteriorates from the top downwards, so inspect from the rooftop and use extra scrutiny at the top.  

4.       Check for any cracks in the liner, a collapsed liner, or any other obstructions.  If you have a properly installed chimney cap, this should prevent any obstructions such as an animal’s nest but you should check regardless.  If you do happen to have an animal nesting in your chimney or a beehive infestation, please refer to our how to remove an obstruction page.  Debris and feces left behind from an old inhabitant will have to be part of your cleaning process if they happen to be there.

5.       Scrub the flue, smoke chamber, smoke shelf, and damper with a chimney brush to remove all creosote buildup.  Please refer to our highly recommended chimney tools page to help in choosing the correct equipment if you do not already have a chimney brush.

6.       After scrubbing, use a shop-vacuum (preferably one with a micro filter to prevent airborne dust) to vacuum the fallen soot from your firebox and within your smoke-chamber and smoke-shelf areas.

Other Supplies that come in handy when cleaning your chimney:

·         Heavy duty Shop vacuum

·         Ladder – most work is done on the roof

·         Stiff scrubbing brush

·         Safety goggles

·         Dust mask/Respirator

·         Drop cloths – you do not want ashes getting in your living space

·         ACS – “Anti creo soot” creosote removal spray

·         ChimneyRX – fireplace crack and joint sealant 

·         ChimneySaver – Water repellent