As much as the chimney is a highly functional unit that keeps the house warm and increases its value, many homeowners make plenty of cleaning mistakes that put their homes and families at significant risk. What are these mistakes? Here they are:

Using chimney logs to avoid chimney sweeping

Chimney sweeping logs can help lessen creosote buildup but can’t eliminate it. In fact, they may cause large “sheets” of creosote to come loose and land on your smoke shelf, where they may pile up and start a chimney fire.

This means that the notion that you can replace chimney sweeping with chimney logs won’t work.

If you are keen, you should note that creosote-destroying logs or chemical instructions make it clear that they should not be used in place of expert chimney cleaning services. So you should still sweep your chimney.

Additionally, you should never use a chimney sweeping log in a wood-burning stove since this could harm the appliance permanently.

Failing to clean the chimney because you are burning hardwood

Some homeowners have this argument because they assume that seasoned hardwoods don’t release creosote since they burn cleaner than softwoods. This is a myth that is widely held. Its foundation is the observation that seasoned hardwoods emit fewer smoke and creosote particles than softwoods.

Burning seasoned hardwoods will result in less creosote in your chimney than burning unseasoned or softwoods, but you still need to sweep your chimney.

Remember that a lethal chimney fire can be caused by creosote buildup as little as 1/8 of an inch.

Creosote deposits are always left behind by fires, regardless of the type of wood fuel you use. This means you need regular chimney cleaning, irrespective of the wood you burn. In the absence of this, layer upon layer of creosote may potentially clog the chimney flue.

A large amount of creosote buildup increases the risk of chimney fires. In addition, there might be an obstruction, which means harmful gases cannot escape outside the house.

This obstruction in the chimney poses a risk to the people living there. Burning wood releases various chemicals, including deadly carbon monoxide fumes, which can harm your family.

Hiring any cleaning contractor

The industry for chimney sweepers is unregulated. Knowing this, con artists prey on homeowners who want to reduce their maintenance expenses.

While saving costs is wise, doing so at the expense of something as crucial as chimney safety may be risky.

The right way to do it is to hire a chimney sweep only after conducting research. Before you hire a contractor, contact three or more clients that have worked with the contractor. You should ask them about their experience and whether they do well.

You also should ask as many questions as possible from the contactor. During the questioning, you will tell whether the contractor is experienced. As a rule of thumb, you should hire the most experienced. While they might be a little expensive, they will be worth it.

Hiring the right professional will prevent you from wasting money on unneeded repairs and cleaning services for your chimney and services from unqualified personnel.

During your research, look for signs of community longevity, authentic customer testimonials, and certification from the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).

Cleaning the chimney at the wrong time

It’s possible that you already know how important it is to have a certified chimney sweep clean your chimney, but you may have chosen the wrong time to do it.

The truth is that most homeowners put off hiring chimney sweepers until the onset of cold weather. Because of the popularity of this idea, scheduling for certified chimney sweeps gets extremely tight, and services are more expensive.

The best time to clean your chimney is in spring when you are done using it. Soot possesses corrosive qualities; any corrosive materials will eat away at your chimney. When it gets humid in the summer, the chimney will smell bad, and you might have to put off getting a complete cleaning until you need it. This often leads to problems later down the line.

You won’t have to wait as long for an appointment in the spring because it’s less crowded, and if an issue is found during the inspection, you have plenty of time to address it.

Every year, or ideally in the spring, you should clean the pellet systems because residual pellets might expand and explode due to summer humidity, limiting the appliance’s lifespan. Professional service and repair are necessary for all pellet makers at least once a year.

Cleaning the chimney by yourself

To save money, some homeowners have the impression that all they need is a sweep brush and they will sweep the chimney by themselves. To begin with, climbing onto a roof and working from that height is perilous for anyone who is not experienced enough.

In addition, there are three types of creosote, and an average homeowner using a basic chimney sweep brush may not be able to remove all of the buildup. As you can tell, this puts the chimney at risk of catching fire.

The only layers that a chimney brush can remove are the simple ones. The other two are much harder to remove and call for specialized tools, usually only owned by chimney contractors Columbia MD.

This means that if you don’t want to put your chimney at risk of catching fire or putting yourself at risk of falling and getting hurt or breaking your bones, you should hire a professional to help with the cleaning.

As mentioned above, ensure that the cleaning professional you hire is experienced and knows what they are doing. The last thing you want is to hire a professional who causes more problems than were there.

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