See the Best Ways to Cleaning Your Chimney

Fireplace Repair: Cleaning the Chimney

Ambiance and efficiency are two reasons that many homes use gas, electric, or wood burning fireplaces. They are comparatively trouble free given proper maintenance. However there are some things to know in order to make certain that a fireplace is in good repair and operating normally.

"Fireplace" and "stove" are terms often used to mean the same thing in various contexts. The fundamental components of an open wood fireplace are the hearth, which is the burning area for the wood, and a chimney flue which provides escape for smoke.

Smoke follows heat of course, so some heat loss is actually necessary for proper ventilation, but an insert may be installed to increase the retention of the heat energy while still providing proper ventilation. Freestanding wood stoves, pellet stoves and gas stoves can also be decorative and provide good heat. They require much the same maintenance in some areas of concern.

Fireplaces, be they freestanding stoves or built in to the wall, require the same essential components. These are a controllable air flow to feed the fire, and some way of venting smoke out of the building. Shuttered dampers by virtue of their adjustability provide a means of creating an updraft (the pulling of air up through the chimney, creating negative air pressure in the hearth which draws fresh air into it).

More advanced fireplaces have air channels built in to draw air from a source other than the room, thereby economizing by not drawing the warmth out of the room via airflow. These fundamental components also apply to freestanding stoves.

Problem Identification

A poorly burning fire which emits smoke into the room is an indication of an airflow problem. First check to see that the damper is fully open. Also, check the chimney to ensure that it is clean and that nothing is blocking it. If you live in a windy area, install a chimney cap to prevent wind from forcing smoke back down the chimney.

Creosote at one time was the prime cause of this problem. Chimney sweeps in vast numbers made their livings cleaning this and soot from chimneys in bygone days. Today the problem is not nearly as pronounced due to the more efficient and hotter-burning fireplaces in use.

The heat burns much more of the by products of wood and other materials, thereby leaving far less creosote to clog the flue. Still, having a chimney brush on hand is good practice, as chimneys will still clog over time. If backflow resulting in a smoke-filled room is a problem, and the flue is open, check the condition of the chimney.

To sweep your chimney, first clear the hearth of all material. Then close the opening with a heavy cloth or canvas, and seal it around the hearth with duct tape. From on top of the roof, push the chimney brush into the chimney and remove debris by scrubbing up and down.

Keep adding extensions to the brush until the bottom is reached. Allow at least an hour after that for all of the dust to settle into the hearth. Afterward, carefully remove enough of the cloth or canvas to use a vacuum to clean up the mess inside.