With fall here, it’s a good time to think about an important yearly project: chimney sweeping. To safely use your fireplace or furnace, your chimney should be swept each year. Dirty chimneys cause nothing but problems.
First of all, they can cause chimney fires. Chimney fires are dangerous because of their extreme heat. It will catch your roof on fire and can have devastating effects. Creosote, which is very flammable, builds up in the chimney with each use, providing fuel for a possible chimney fire.
Secondly, a dirty chimney will not remove the smoke from the fireplace like it is supposed to. That smoke is coming back into your home, which no one wants to breathe.
Finally, your chimney should be cleaned each year to make sure no pests (birds, rats, bees) have built a nest or set up camp in your chimney, as that can cause a lot of damage to your chimney.
There are two options for having your chimney swept. You can hire someone, which isn’t too expensive, or you can make it a DIY project. You need a brush and the attachments, which can be purchased online or at a local home improvement store.
Opting for the DIY project? Check out YouTube for a great tutorial.
Keep your home safe this winter – have your chimney swept!
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