A chimney is a highly important part of the house, which is connected to a wood burning stove or fireplace. It contributes a lot in providing people heat especially during the cold winter season. However, it requires regular cleaning and maintenance just like the other parts of the house. Furthermore, it is guaranteed to perform much better when cleaned regularly. Be able to enjoy warm and cozy nights inside your home by learning how to clean a chimney.
Materials Needed
Before starting with this moderately challenging job, you must prepare several important tools and materials. These include a flashlight, a chimney brush with rod extensions as well as a ladder. In addition, you must also have other items at hand such as masking tape, plastic and mirror. If there is no masking tape available, you can use duct tape instead. After gathering all these materials, you can proceed with these quick and easy steps.
Steps
If the wood burner or fireplace has no doors, you must cover the opening tightly. This will prevent loosened soot from blowing right into your homes. Get the plastic and then use it to cover the opening. Use masking tape or duct tape to hold it tightly in place. After this, get the ladder and then carefully climb your way to the roof. Remove the chimney cover with the help of appropriate tools such as pliers, screwdrivers and tin snips.
Once the cover is removed successfully, peek at the chimney hole and then assess how much cleaning you have to do. When the chimney is too high or is positioned at an angle, it is possible to use a mirror by holding it while on top of the chimney while using the flashlight to have a better look inside. Get the brush and then lower it down the hole. Try to brush off all the nasty soot buildups inside. For deeper parts, it is good to use rod extensions in order to reach them.
After brushing the inner walls of the chimney, check it once again if all the soot buildups are removed properly. If not, try to brush the inner walls again. Do this important step repeatedly until the desired result is achieved. Thereafter, return the chimney cover and then climb down the ladder slowly and safely. Scoop out and discard all the loosened soot and dirt. Never rush this important step in order to prevent debris, dust and soot from billowing.
Additional Tips and Other Helpful Information
When cleaning the chimney, it is very important to cover the opening at the bottom part. It must only be opened after cleaning the inner walls in order to prevent the debris, dirt and soot from blowing into your house. It is best to clean the chimney before using it for longer periods. Extreme care and caution are needed especially when climbing the ladder.
