The answer is once a year. In case of newly installed wood burning fireplaces or stoves, it might be a good idea to carry out an inspection sometime in the middle of the first heating season to see that everything is fine. As to how often you should get a chimney sweep carried out, it really depends upon how often you use it and how you use it.
A good indication, as the representatives of any chimney company will tell you is when there is at least one-eighth of an inch of deposit inside the chimney or yearly if the deposits haven’t grown that much. If an inspection reveals that a sweep or any form of repairs may be required you should go right ahead and call a professional chimney company.
When should you contact a chimney cleaning company to get a sweep done more than once a year?
This becomes mandatory in the event of problems in matching the operator, fuel or venting system.
Should you carry out a sweep yourself?
You may imagine that you could undertake a sweep yourself, but this can be dangerous, as this is a specialists’ job. Besides, there are a number of sound professional reasons to entrust the job to a chimney company.
Professional chimney sweeps do a thorough job of not just sweeping the chimney, but also attending to myriad things like inspecting the firebox, smoke chamber, liners, flue as well as the chimney exterior. Besides, they would be in a position to confirm if every compliance has been complied with.
A chimney company will be able to provide you with advice about the right way of operating equipment, as also whether any repair or replacement is required. Since soot is a health hazard, because it is toxic, it is best removed by trained and experienced professionals.
It is all very well to decide to hire the services of a chimney company, but the important question is how to zero in on the right one. What you might look out for when taking a decision about which chimney sweep to hire is asking for references and checking if they have insurance. It would be a good idea to ask for references, as well as client testimonials to help you decide whether the chimney sweep you are hiring will do a good job or not.
Importance of a Proper Chimney Sweep
The thing about chimney sweeps is that it is in your best interest to ensure that you get it done on time. According to household insurers, every third house-fire starts either in a chimney or a flue.
This is on account of the reason that by burning fuel of any kind-wood, coal or fuel oil, some amount of soot and tar does get deposited inside the chimney. This is problematic because these are flammable and can catch fire easily which often leads to disastrous consequences.
Sweeping a chimney helps you get rid of these deposits and lets you enjoy the benefits of heating without your having to worry about a ticking time bomb (or firebomb) in the shape of an unswept chimney. You really don’t have to make a huge song and dance about getting a chimney sweep and inspection carried out. All you need to do is get in touch with a chimney company like All Star Chimney Sweep and all your concerns will be addressed.
To learn more about chimney inspections and sweeps as well as keeping your home safe, fill out the form below today!