There are many benefits of hiring a professional chimney sweep to clean out your chimney. The top benefit is being confident your home is safe. Some households may experience benefits differently than others depending on the size of their fireplace, the number of stories in their home, and how many fireplaces they have. However, almost everyone will benefit from hiring a chimney sweep. But, how do you know when to hire a chimney sweep?

How to Know When You Need a Chimney Sweep

You may be asking yourself if you truly need a chimney sweep’s services. The truth is, not everyone will need a chimney sweep. But many people will greatly benefit from hiring one. Below, you will find some common reasons people decide to hire a chimney sweep to service their fireplace and chimney.

You Need Your Chimney to Be Cleaned Thoroughly

It is recommended that you thoroughly clean out your chimney when it reaches 1/8 of an inch of built-up soot and creosote. With any thicker of a buildup, your chimney is at risk of catching on fire with the sparks coming from your fireplace. Many people let their chimneys get up to one inch thick of buildup before they try to clean it themselves. The longer you wait to clean your chimney, the harder is it to get the soot and creosote off of the stonework. So, if you have let your chimney reach this point, hiring a chimney sweep is a great idea. This will ensure your chimney is thoroughly cleaned and is safe to use once again.

You Don’t Have Enough Time

Cleaning out your chimney every time it reaches 1/8 of an inch in soot and creosote buildup takes a great deal of time away from you. It can take an hour to two hours of hard work to clean your chimney, or even longer if you have never cleaned it before. This is a lot of time you could spend with your family, getting other household chores done, or simply taking time to relax. Hiring a chimney sweep to do this hard work for you can be a smart decision to make. This way, you get two hours of your life back and will know the job was done right. You will also want to use your fireplace more often as you won’t want to put off cleaning out your chimney.

You Need an Annual Chimney Inspection

The National Fire Protection Agency highly recommends homeowners get their chimneys inspected at least once a year. There are three different levels of chimney inspections that specify the detail of the inspection. The standard annual inspection is considered a Level 1 inspection in which the chimney inspector looks for any signs of a fire threat. The chimney inspector is responsible for telling the homeowner of any issues with the fireplace or chimney to ensure safety. It is generally recommended homeowners get their chimneys inspected at the beginning of fall before the colder weather arrives. Levels 2 and 3 are required when changes in ownership or chimney design have been made. For any level of chimney inspection, your local chimney sweep technician can be called for the job. Hiring a professional chimney sweep to inspect your home’s chimney will ensure you and your family are completely safe when using your fireplace.

You Don’t Feel Confident When Using Your Fireplace

Perhaps you have been cleaning your chimney out for as long as you can remember. Even though you are great at it, or even enjoy it, you may still not feel confident using your fireplace. After all, a clean fireplace is very important for the safety of your home, which you likely know. This lack of confidence may even persuade you to not use your fireplace as often as you would like to. Enjoy your fireplace without worry and hire a chimney sweep to help you. You and your family deserve to light the fireplace any time you want to experience its warmth and cozy ambiance.

Hire a Local Chimney Sweep in Panama City!

If you have read this blog post and realize you need to hire a chimney sweep, please feel free to contact us. We are highly rated professional chimney sweeps and we are accepting new clients. Our team can do any chimney service you need help with from inspections to cleanings. We are excited to hear from you!