Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

Closing Out Your Fireplace For The Season

Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. However, spring will be here before we know it! As warmer temperatures arrive, many homeowners will stop using their fireplaces until the following fall.

Simply closing the glass doors and putting the wood and fireplace tools away isn’t enough. Take the time to close out your fireplace and chimney for the season. These four easy steps will ensure your fireplace is ready to use again in the fall.

Clean the fireplace.

This might seem obvious, but cleaning the fireplace is the best way to close out your fireplace for the season. Remove any remaining ashes or soot from the fireplace. Now may be the time to bust out the Shop Vac. This is to get into the nooks, crannies, and corners of your unit. In addition, take the time to clean your fireplace tools, pokers, log racks, ash containers, and more.

In addition to cleaning out the fireplace, spring is a great season to have your chimney swept. After a long winter of use, most chimneys are in need of a good sweeping; having your chimney swept in the spring can remove deposits of ash, soot, and flammable creosote from inside the flue, leaving your chimney ready for use again in the fall.

Inspect the chimney.

With a combination of freezing temperatures and exposure to snow and ice, winter is the toughest season on your chimney season. Because of this, most masonry damage occurs during the winter months; having your chimney inspected in the spring can ensure that your chimney’s bricks and mortar are free from cracks, chips, holes, or other signs of water damage.

In addition to checking your masonry for signs of damage, a chimney inspection will evaluate the other accessible interior and exterior portions of your fireplace and chimney system. This can also be used as a useful tool in diagnosing any ongoing performance problems such as drafts, leaks, odors, and more.

Close the damper.

When your wood burning fireplace is not in use, the damper should be closed. Closing the damper tightly ensures that no conditioned air from your home is being lost up the chimney. Also, that no outside air is coming in and affecting your home’s temperature. Using a damper in combination with glass doors can help create an even tighter seal between your home and outside air.

Turn off the pilot light.

If you have a gas fireplace, it has a pilot light. The pilot light is a small flame that remains lit at all times when the unit is connected. This allows the fire to ignite when the fireplace is turned on. While it is small, the pilot light continues to use energy the entire time it is lit. If you do not plan on using your fireplace for several months, you may save energy by turning off the unit. In addition, turning off the pilot light completely.

Spring is just around the corner; call Clean Sweeps of Michigan today and schedule your appointment to help close down your fireplace for the season!

Don’t Be On Santa’s Dirty List!

Christmas is just around the corner. It’s only a matter of days until St. Nick himself is ready to slide down your chimney to deliver presents. This year, make sure you don’t get put on the naughty list for having a dirty chimney. Get your chimney swept before Christmas arrives!

How often should my chimney be swept?

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, or CSIA, all chimneys should be swept at least once per year. This guideline applies to all fuel-burning heating appliances. Including gas fireplace and appliances, wood and pellet stoves, and inserts. Chimney sweepings help remove any buildup of soot, ash, and creosote in the fireplace and flue. They also check for blockages in the flue and any signs of damage or deterioration to the chimney structure.

Annual chimney sweeps should still be done even if your fireplace is only rarely or infrequently used. In fact, sweepings in these situations can even be more important! If a fireplace is only used a few times per year, many of the performance problems that indicate a chimney issue may not be immediately noticed. Because of this, an annual sweep can help determine if there are any blockages, problems, or damage to the fireplace or chimney.

If your home’s fireplace or stove is used as a primary heat source it may need to be swept more often. As a general rule, a chimney should be swept any time there is 1/8th of an inch of soot accumulation in the flue. Under normal conditions this amount of buildup is caused by burning, on average, a full cord of wood. If you are using more than a cord of wood each burning season, you may need to have your chimney swept again mid-winter.

Benefits of a swept chimney:

An annual chimney sweeping is about more than just keeping Santa’s red suit clean. The following are just a few of the benefits of having a swept chimney.

1.  Improve venting. A buildup of soot or other debris in the flue can prevent proper venting. This causes smoke, ash, and other byproducts of combustion to back up into your home.
2. Avoid chimney fires! Creosote, a highly flammable byproduct of fuel burning fires, can accumulate in the flue over time. If not removed, it can be accidentally ignited by stray sparks or embers from the chimney, leading to a damaging chimney fire. Creosote ignition is the leading cause of chimney fire – and is entirely preventable with regular chimney sweepings.
3. Prevent chimney damage. Creosote does more than just cause chimney fires. It can also damage your chimney liner and flue. Regularly removing creosote and soot, as well as having the exterior of the chimney structure inspected, can help prevent chimney damage. In addition, it can extend the lifespan of your fireplace system.

Don’t get on Santa’s naughty list by having a dirty chimney this year. Instead, contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today to schedule your chimney sweep – before Christmas arrives!