What to Expect from Chimney Sweeping

Chimney sweeping is the process of cleaning soot and ash from your chimney. It’s important to arrange annual maintenance to comply with national safety standards. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends that “open masonry fireplaces should be swept at 1/8″ of sooty buildup” as this is enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire. Chimneys must be swept more frequently if there is any glaze present in the system. The CSIA also says that “factory-built fireplaces should be swept when any appreciable buildup occurs,” as the deposit buildup can be acidic.

As colder weather sets in, you can count on Champion Chimneys for your chimney cleaning, fireplace maintenance, and repairs.

How Chimney Sweeping Works

Once your chimney has been inspected and any repairs have been made, it is time to sweep the chimney. The goal is to scrape the sooty coating that has built up from fires off of the chimney lining.

First, our technicians will clear the space around the perimeter of the fireplace, so furniture and mantle decor will be safely moved away from equipment and soot.

Next, the chimney technicians will lay a drop cloth on top of your hearth and the surrounding floor to mitigate the risk of small debris falling from the chimney. Our technicians will vacuum the firebox while sweeping to ensure your room stays clean.

Once the vacuum suction is set, the chimney technicians will use the sweeping rods on the inside of the chimney. The technicians will also sweep the internal wall of the firebox. After the sweep is complete, our technicians will clear out any chunks of creosote that have been knocked loose onto the smoke shelf during cleaning.

Finally, it’s time to clean up. Our technicians can be trusted to remove the drop cloth and return your furniture to where it belongs. Schedule a professional chimney sweeping to enjoy your next fire safely and without worry.

Why You Should Clean Your Chimney Annually

There are many benefits of hiring a chimney sweep in Maryland each year before cranking up the fireplace. Learn more about our chimney services.

• Animals may build nests in the flue that need to be cleared
• Various types of deterioration could make your chimney unsafe
• Untreated creosote, which is highly flammable, builds up each year in your chimney or wood stove and could lead to a chimney fire
• Your gas or oil fireplace produces corrosive gases when used, so an annual cleaning will suffice to reduce that risk