Chimney Sweeps

[OkieG]

Our fireplace is 8 yeats old. It has had infrequent use until this year. It is not a primary heat source, but will be used a few times a week from now through Spring to give the furnace a little breather.

As a thread on TBN wound it's wayward way, it became clear that many of us burn multiple cords of firewood a season.

My question is: How, and how often do fireplace chimneys need to be cleaned???

We burn mostly Blackjack Oak and a variety of other hardwoods. The local version of cedar has a some pitch, but we burn very little of that.

I am guessing we have about 50 total burns in the FP to date, but may do that many more this season. Any advice?

OkieG

[pbenven]

We clean ours at the beginning or every season and once half way through - about January.

We used to do it with a brush and 2 lengths of rope, each tied to the brush with a weight on the opposite end of one rope. So, weight, rope, brush, rope. The short straw got the job of going on the roof and dropping the weighted end down the chimney. The other person collects the weighted end at the clean out trap and pulls the brush down. Once down, the person on the roof pulls the brush back up. Repeated that 4 times.

A few years ago we bought several lengths of fibreglass chimney sweeping rods. Now we can just feed the brush up the chimney from the ground (much to the delight of the person who always seemed to draw the short straw - me).

One thing - make sure you get the right brush (as Hakim mentioned in that other post). I had to order mine - a 6x9" model.

Also, I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some by-law regulating chimney sweeping in your area. Wouldn't hurt to ask your local fire department.

Stay warm [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Paul

[Hakim]

<font color="blue"> We clean ours at the beginning or every season and once half way through - about January.
</font color>
That's about exactly how we do it (remember we were in very cold area with 24 X 7 woodstove use).

A commercial chimney sweep may likely say to check it once a month! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

If we were using the stove late into the spring, with lots of very low heat days, it would create more smoke than usual, and so I would also check physically check the chimney one more time, say about mid-March or early-April. Heck, we even used to get days in mid-June that we would run the woodstove.

At the least, checking and cleaning the chimney needs to be part of your annual Fall heating/roof/etc systems maintainance.

[OkieG]

Paul &amp; Hakim,

Our house has a cylindrical metal liner running up the chimney. Where did you find your brushes?? It sounds like the job is one a homeowner can do himself.

OkieG

[Hakim]

Brushes, try Home Depot...