How Do I Clean My Chimney?

There are many homeowners who choose to clean their own chimneys.  You burn wood and know the importance of cleaning the chimney.  But how often should I clean it?  What do I look for?  What equipment is needed?  Are there any dangers to be aware of?  If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, we have a few tips for you.

FIRST STEP – ALWAYS BURN DRY WOOD!

  • Cut it – in lengths appropriate to your fireplace or stove.
  • Split it – in pieces about 4” – 7” in diameter. Split wood dries much better!
  • Stack it – to allow air to freely circulate through it.
  • Cover it – to keep off rain and snow. But allow the sun to get to it and air to freely circulate through it.
  • Leave it – for one year. That’s right, one year!  Plan to get a year ahead with your wood supply.
  • Check it – with a moisture meter. Aim for moisture content between 15 – 20%.  It’s $20 – $30 well spent.

DO NOT . . . .

  • . . . . cut it and split it today and burn it this heating season.
  • . . . . assume that a standing, dead tree is dry enough to burn. Even if it’s been dead for 6 or 8 years and the bark is off the larger branches and the trunk, the wood needs to be properly prepared.  Follow the steps above.
  • . . . . burn anything but cordwood. Absolutely no painted or treated lumber, driftwood, Christmas trees or limbs, colored paper, cardboard or any type of plastic.
  • . . . . use any type of accelerant to start a fire.

By following these ten steps listed above, your chimney cleaning endeavor is going to be made much easier and quicker.

NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

Chimney cleaning is a messy and dirty job.  Prepare accordingly.  Be sure to use drop cloths or large plastic sheets to protect the floor and furniture.

On the roof, determine the exact size of your chimney by measuring the inside dimensions.  Some are rectangular, some are round, others might be square or oval.  A chimney cleaning brush should fit tight in the chimney.  Do not buy a brush too small or too large.  It needs to fit snug in order to scrap deposits from the sides of the chimney.  Masonry chimneys will use a steel bristled brush.  Stainless steel chimneys use a poly filament brush so the inner wall of the pipe is not damaged by steel bristles.

You will need flexible fiberglass rods to attach to the brush.  So, check the overall height of the chimney.  If a measuring tape cannot be used, simply drop a rope from the top of the chimney, through any offsets and down through the damper and into the fireplace.  Then, simply measure the rope.  Be sure the connection between the brush and rods are compatible.  Rods and brushes from different manufacturers use different types of threaded connections or locking mechanisms.  Make sure the brush and rods match up.

Wear fall protection equipment or a safety harness when working, especially if your roof pitch is steep, 6/12 or more. Eye protection and heavy leather gloves are required, too.  And by the way, a log chain is not on the list of approved chimney cleaning equipment.  It will damage any chimney.

THE PROCESS:

Most chimneys are cleaned from the top, down.  This is the preferable way to clean.  You have gravity working in your favor.   Plus, it’s considerably easier to push a cleaning brush down a chimney.  And you’re normally able to keep the doors to the fireplace closed.  This can really help keep the soot and dust contained inside the fireplace.

Remove the chimney cap and set aside.  With a strong flashlight, inspect the inside of the chimney.  On a sunny day, a mirror reflecting the sunlight works well, too.  Start by attaching one or more lengths of rod onto the brush.  The brush should be slightly larger than the chimney.  It should take some effort to get it moving down the chimney.  Move the brush with an up/down scrubbing motion several times.  The idea is to thoroughly scrub the inside.  Once you’ve gone down the entire length of the chimney, perform the same operation on the way up, removing lengths of fiberglass rods as needed.  Once the brush gets to the top, be careful when you pull it out of the chimney so you don’t get a faceful of soot.

Inspect the chimney again.  It should be considerably cleaner.  Carefully look at the flue tiles.  Are there any cracks or missing pieces?  Is the mortar sound or is it missing between lengths of the flue tiles?  If yours is a stainless steel chimney, are all pipe length firmly connected?  Any rust inside the pipe or any noticeable damage?  There should be no obstructions anywhere in the chimney.  Are the offsets in the chimney clean and in good condition?  Any issues with these questions warrants a call to a professional.

Once satisfied, securely replace the cap and clean out the fireplace.  Cleaning out the inside of the fireplace can be done with the shovel and broom from the tool set or with a vacuum designed for fireplace.  Do not use a household vacuum or shop vac.  You’ll get dust air-born throughout the house.  If there’s an ash drop in the floor of the fireplace or a soot hatch, use it.

RESOURCES:

National Fire Protection Association’s code (NFPA 211) is for fireplaces and chimneys.  The primary purpose of this code is to remove fire hazards associated with the construction and installation of fireplaces, chimney and venting systems for solid fuel appliances.  If questions regarding a wood-burning fireplace or stove project is not covered in an owner’s manual, or if you are installing an untested and unlisted appliance, the information in NFPA 211 is critical for a safe installation.

NFPA 211 states that a chimney is to be inspected at least once a year and cleaned if necessary.

Another resource that merits regular visits is The Chimney Safety Institute of America.  The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is an organization dedicated to the training, educating and certification of chimney and hearth industry professionals.  This is the organization that certifies professional chimney sweeps.  A certified chimney sweep should be a valued resource for any homeowner that burns wood.

SO, HOW DO I PROPERLY INSPECT & CLEAN A CHIMNEY?

Your WE LOVE FIRE expert feels the most appropriate answer to this question is:  call a professionally certified chimney sweep!  They have been specially trained and must pass a national exam that tests their knowledge of construction practices, appropriate codes and industry trade standards.  It’s money well spent.  And, most people sleep better knowing that an experienced eye and a skilled set of hands have thoroughly inspected and cleaned their chimney system.

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service Quebec (QC)

Bonaventure, QC

Marcel Dionne et fils Inc
338, av de Port-Royal Ouest,
Bonaventure, QC G0C 1E0

Marcel Dionne et fils Inc LogoVisit Store Page

Delson, QC

Agrémat – Espace chaleur
188, ch. St-François Xavier
Delson, QC J5B 1X9

Agrémat – Espace chaleur LogoVisit Store Page

Gatineau, QC

Au Centre Du Foyer De L'Outaouais
1193 Boul St-Joseph
Gatineau, QC J8Z 2C3

Au Centre Du Foyer De L'Outaouais LogoVisit Store Page

Laval, QC

Montréal Brique et Pierre
1070 Montée Masson
Laval, QC H7C 2R2

Longueuil, QC

Boutique Chaleur
620 Boul Therrien
Longueuil, QC J4H 3V9

Boutique Chaleur LogoVisit Store Page

Mirabel, QC

Agrémat
13755 Rue de la Chapelle
Mirabel, QC J7J2C9

Agrémat LogoVisit Store Page

Quebec City, QC

Maconnex
5690 Boulevard Pierre-Bertrand Nord
Quebec City, QC G2J 1B7

Maconnex LogoVisit Store Page

Rimouski, QC

Marcel Dionne et fils Inc
905 Lausanne
Rimouski, QC G5L 8Y9

Marcel Dionne et fils Inc LogoVisit Store Page

Saguenay, QC

Maconnex
2223, boulevard Saint-Paul
Saguenay, QC G7K 1E5

Maconnex LogoVisit Store Page

Saint-Basile-le-Grand, QC

Montréal Brique et Pierre
77 boul. Sir Wilfrid-Laurier
Saint-Basile-le-Grand, QC J3N 1M2

Saint-Eustache, QC

Montréal Brique et Pierre
28 Boul. Industriel
Saint-Eustache, QC J7R 5C1

Saint-Eustache, QC

Les Foyers Mirabel
415 avenue mathers
Saint-Eustache, QC J7P 4C1

Les Foyers Mirabel LogoVisit Store Page

Saint-Hubert, QC

Montréal Brique et Pierre
3170 rue Harvey
Saint-Hubert, QC J3Y 3T6

Saint-Isidore, QC

Maconnex
2036, chemin de la Riviere
Saint-Isidore, QC G0S 2S0

Maconnex LogoVisit Store Page

Saint-Lazare, QC

Montréal Brique et Pierre
550 Route Cité des Jeunes
Saint-Lazare, QC J7T2A7

Sherbrooke, QC

Maconnex
69, chemin Godin
Sherbrooke, QC J1R 0S6

Maconnex LogoVisit Store Page

St-Bruno de Montarville, QC

Les Foyers et Cheminees Piermon Inc
2193 Boul Sir Wilfrid Laurier
St-Bruno de Montarville, QC J3V 4P6

Les Foyers et Cheminees Piermon Inc LogoVisit Store Page

St-Charles Borromee, QC

Maison Chaleur et Confort
1060 Visitation
St-Charles Borromee, QC J6E 7Y8

Maison Chaleur et Confort LogoVisit Store Page

St-Georges, QC

Busque et Cie
2271, 90e Rue
St-Georges, QC G5Y 7B6

Busque et Cie LogoVisit Store Page

St-Hyacinthe, QC

Boutique du Foyer St-Hyacinthe inc.
1100 des Cascades
St-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 3G8

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St-Jean sur Richelieu, QC

Propane Beauchemin
775 rue Gaudette
St-Jean sur Richelieu, QC J3B7S7

Trois-Rivieres, QC

Boutique Chaleur
1015 boulevard Thibeau Nord
Trois-Rivieres, QC G8T 7B3

Boutique Chaleur LogoVisit Store Page

Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC

Foyer Gaz
401 boul. Harwood, local 12b
Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 7W1


For more information, contact your local fireplace and grill store.

2 Responses

  1. The Importance of Repairing and Cleaning your Chimney - HouseAffection
    […] begin, the starting maintenance measure to take while cleaning your chimney is to check all parts of your chimney’s anatomy. That includes the chimney’s liner, damper, […]
  2. Sam Andrews
    Wait, what? The fact that our chimney would be so much easier to clean if we relied on dry firewood in the first place is something I've never thought about! My house chimney might've been filled with soot which I need to get rid of before my family starts using it again this winter. Maybe a professional could be employed to get the cleaning job done fast.
    • Joseph Bodden
      Hi Sam! Dry firewood is definitely the key to helping keep your chimney from developing a serious creosote problem. The NFPA 211 code states that chimneys should be inspected annually and cleaned if necessary. A certified chimney professional has been specially trained and takes continuing education credits and is your best option for evaluating your chimney. Please check with your local We Love Fire expert and schedule an appointment. Thanks for your comments and be sure to tell your family and friends about WELOVE FIRE.com! Regards, Joe

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