Don’t underestimate the importance of a clean chimney. Chimney fires are one of the leading causes of residential fires across the country. In addition to the threat of fire, neglecting your chimney can result in water damage and even increases your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Regular chimney sweeping is essential to reducing these threats. Here are a few tools used by professional chimney sweepers.
Regular chimney sweeping is essential to reducing the threat of a chimney fire. Here are a few tools used by professional chimney sweepers.
Cameras
Have you ever tried taking a look up your own chimney? Without professional equipment, that can be pretty tough. A crucial part of proper chimney sweeping is the inspection. That’s why chimney professionals will typically use cameras and other observation equipment to get a better look at what’s going on inside of your chimney. This can help pick up any additional issues, such as cracking and water damage.
Brushes
A brush is probably the most useful tool for chimney sweeping. These aren’t the kind of brushes you have just lying around your house, either. There are a variety of different sizes of brushes designed to remove debris from any size or style of chimney you can imagine.
Typically, the first brush used by chimney sweeps is firm and attached to a long wire handle. This helps to knock most of the creosote and other debris off the walls of the chimney.
Chemicals
Sometimes, brushes just won’t cut it. Chemical cleaners can be used to eliminate stubborn soot that won’t come off with brushes. If you’ve just moved into an older home with a chimney that hasn’t been cleaned in years, professional-grade cleaning chemicals will be necessary. This is because chemicals are especially good at removing debris that has hardened over time.
Many people feel that ‘chemical’ is a dirty word. Don’t worry—chemical chimney cleaners are extremely safe.
Vacuums
As you might expect, modern-day chimney sweeps use vacuums to clean up small debris, dust, and insects that might exist in your chimney. Domestic vacuums won’t do the trick; these are specially designed for use with chimneys.
Chimney sweeping can be messy. During the cleaning process, an abundance of debris is likely to accrue in the fireplace and the surrounding area. Vacuums can help clean this up. They are equipped with filters, so you shouldn’t have any concerns about the air quality in your home following vacuuming.
Call the Experts at Champion Chimneys for Chimney Sweeping Today!
Champion Chimneys, Inc. is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured chimney service company that has been serving customers in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland since 2001. Our team is trained and certified by Certified Chimney Professionals, Inc. (CCP, Inc.). Courteous service is our trademark, and our crews arrive on time in uniform, driving fully equipped trucks. We specialize in all aspects of your chimney system. Whether you need chimney and flue cleaning service or a full chimney rebuild or inspection, contact us at 443-Chimney today and let us fix all your chimney problems. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.