Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Post Holiday Cleaning

The holidays have come and gone; visiting family has returned home, the presents have been unwrapped, and festive décor has been put back into storage. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, now is the time to schedule your chimney cleaning!

Many families use their fireplaces more during the holiday season than at any other time of year. This additional use – coupled with any inappropriate or unsafe materials that may have been thrown into the fire over the holidays – often means that chimneys are ready to be swept and inspected by the time the new year arrives.

How Winter Weather Affects Our Chimneys

The fireplace and chimney are more susceptible to damage in the cold, harsh months of winter than at any other time of year. One of the primary ways that chimneys are damaged during the winter is through the freeze-thaw cycle.

During the freeze-thaw cycle, water is absorbed by tiny holes or cracks in the naturally porous brick. When temperatures drop below freezing, the water turns to ice and expands before melting again when the temperatures warm. This creates progressively larger and larger holes that can create significant structural damage to a chimney in as little as one winter.

Chimney Sweepings Prevent Fires and Improve Efficiency

Having your chimney swept at least once per year is the best way to improve the safety and efficiency of your fireplace. Removing soot, ash, and highly flammable creosote can improve venting and reduce the risk of chimney fire. However, if fireplaces are used daily or as a primary heat source it may need to be swept more. Fireplaces that burn more than one cord of wood during a season should be swept more than once, particularly during the period of heaviest use.

Chimney Inspections Prevent Long-term Damage and Save Money

Most homeowners spend as little time on their roofs as possible, maybe accessing it one to two times per year. This, coupled with a lack of knowledge about the chimney system, can make it nearly impossible to notice chimney damage until a minor issue has turned into a major one.

A damaged or deteriorating chimney can affect your home in a number of ways. Cracked and damaged masonry can fall off, causing damage to your home or roofing materials; gaps or cracks in the masonry can also allow water, debris, and even animals into the chimney, further damaging the chimney system. Damaged chimneys may also vent incorrectly, increasing the risk of serious air quality issues including carbon monoxide poisoning.

An annual inspection by a certified chimney sweep can help uncover chimney issues that may otherwise go unnoticed. By identifying areas of damage when they are still small, the chimney can often be easily repaired. As part of your regular chimney maintenance, a chimney sweeping can prevent you from being blindsided by chimney or fireplace repairs in the future.

Start the year off right by scheduling your next chimney cleaning. Contact the expert staff at Clean Sweeps of Michigan today to schedule your next chimney sweeping or inspection to get your year started with a clean, safe fireplace system.

Burn Properly Seasoned Wood This Holiday Season

Enjoying time together in front of a roaring fire is a part of the holiday traditions for many families. This year, ensure you are getting the most out of your fireplace by burning only seasoned firewood. Enjoying time together in front of a roaring fire is a part of the holiday traditions for many families. This year, ensure you are getting the most out of your fireplace by burning only seasoned firewood.

What is seasoned wood?

Seasoned firewood is wood that has been cut into logs, stacked, and left exposed to the elements to dry. The seasoning process typically takes a minimum of six months. Seasoning wood can last for up to a year or longer. Importantly, the seasoning process removes moisture from the wood. Fresh cut firewood, also known as green wood, has a moisture content of as high as 50%. This much water in the wood makes it difficult to burn; green wood is hard to ignite, burns at a low temperature, produces more smoke, and can create more creosote in the flue.
Seasoning the wood can reduce the moisture content to between 10 and 20 percent. Seasoned wood is the best choice for use in indoor residential fireplaces; the low moisture content allows the wood to ignite faster, burn hotter, and create less creosote.

What wood is best for my fireplace?

Although seasoned wood is always the best choice for indoor fireplaces, there are a number of different types of firewood. While the kind of firewood you choose to use often comes down to personal preference. Trial and error can help you find the perfect wood for your home.

– Hardwoods. Hardwoods are dense, heavy woods with leaves that change colors with the seasons. Maple, oak, ash, and birch are all popular varieties of hardwoods. Hardwoods are often the most popular for use in indoor fireplaces; in addition to being inexpensive and readily available in most areas, hardwoods create fires that burn at high temperatures and produce little smoke. – Softwoods. Softwoods are made from trees with needle leaves that stay on year round, such as firs, evergreens, and pines. Softwoods are known for their fragrant smoke and their ability to ignite quickly; because of this, softwoods are often used as kindling or aromatics in larger fires. However, because they produce larger amounts of smoke and burn at lower temperatures, they may not be ideal as a primary wood source.

What not to burn

During the holidays, it can be tempting to use the fireplace as a way to dispose of wrapping paper, boxes, and other packing materials. However, burning these things in an indoor fire can quickly lead to disaster. Paper products can ignite quickly to create a burst of flame; while this can be useful when lighting a fire, adding large amounts of paper to a burn can quickly cause it to get out of control. Likewise, burning printed wrapping paper can release toxic chemicals from dyes and inks into the air.

This year, get the most out of your fireplace by choosing seasoned firewood. For more information on how firewood choice can affect your fireplace, contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today.