You should clean your wood burning fireplace at least once a year to get the most out of it and ensure your safety. If fireplaces aren't cleaned, the built-up soot and creosote inside the firebox and the chimney can release carbon monoxide or start a fire in your chimney. If possible, hire a professional chimney sweep to clean and inspect your chimney and fireplace once a year. If this isn't possible, you can perform the annual maintenance yourself, but it's wise to have the chimney professionally inspected at least every few years. A cracked chimney is a dangerous chimney.
Cleaning Wood Burning Fireplaces
To clean your fireplace and chimney, you'll need:
* Flue brush
* Ladder
* Rubber gloves
* Goggles
* Dust mask
* Stiff nylon brush
* Drop cloth
* Newspaper
* Vacuum
* Trash can and bags
* Ash can
* Glass cleaner and soft cloth
1. Lay down a drop cloth in front of the fireplace. Put on the gloves, goggles, and dust mask, and then sweep any ash into an ash can and dispose of it outside.
2. If you have a gas starter, turn it off.
3. Remove glass doors and clean with glass cleaner or vacuum metal screens.
4. Remove the andirons or grate. Take them outside to clean them with a vacuum, wire brush, and de-greaser, if necessary.
5. Vacuum the inside of the firebox.
6. Lay a drop cloth down inside the fireplace, and then cover the drop cloth with newspapers. Set up the trash can within easy reach.
7. Open the damper.
8. Go outside. Inspect the chimney's mortar and bricks or stones for cracks as you climb the ladder.
9. Remove the chimney cap. Scrub the flue with a flue brush.
10. Go back inside. Bundle the debris in a layer of newspaper and throw out.
11. Kneel inside the fire box. With the stiff nylon brush, gently scrub the inside of the fire box from the top down to remove soot, creosote, and grime. Only go up as far as the lintel.
12. Scrub the damper and the lower part of the flue to remove additional soot and creosote.
13. Bundle the debris in newspaper and throw it out.
14. Remove the drop cloth and vacuum the fire box again.
15. Re-install the doors and andirons. If you have a gas starter, turn it back on.
Cleaning a chimney is a difficult task and can be very time-consuming if you aren't properly trained. Save yourself time and hassle by hiring a professional to clean your chimney. If you have asthma or other breathing disorders, don't attempt this yourself. If your fireplace is very dirty, please call a professional who knows how to properly maintain your fireplace.
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