Spring Cleaning For Your Chimney

Having access to a functional fireplace can help make your indoor living space more comfortable. These fireplaces typically require a functioning chimney in order to help vent out toxic gases and smoke when the fireplace is in use. Maintaining your chimney is critical when it comes to keeping your fireplace in working condition.

Here are three simple spring cleaning tasks that you can perform in order to keep your chimney in good condition in the future.

1. Check for unwanted guests.

Your home's chimney can offer unwanted guests protection from the elements, making it the perfect place for critters to take up residence. In order to ensure that animal nesting materials and other animal-associated items don't create a fire hazard inside your home's chimney, these unwanted guests should be evicted as part of your spring cleaning checklist.

It can be beneficial to have a company like Country Corner Chimney Sweeps do a sweep of your chimney to check for squirrels, raccoons, or birds that may be nesting inside the chimney, then remove these animals before they threaten the safety of your fireplace.

2. Check for water damage.

Water can wreak havoc on the structural integrity of your chimney. If there are any cracks in the exterior of your chimney or in the interior lining of your chimney, water will seep into these cracks over time. As this water freezes and thaws during the winter it will expand and contract, making the cracks worse.

Having a chimney professional inspect your chimney for signs of water damage during the spring allows you to make any necessary repairs before the moisture from spring rains can cause further damage.

3. Check for soot or creosote buildup.

Many homeowners use their fireplaces more heavily during the winter months to provide warmth and lend a comforting ambiance to their homes. This extensive use can cause soot and creosote to build up along the interior surface of the chimney.

A skilled chimney sweep should be called to remove this soot or creosote because these substances are highly flammable. Regular cleaning of your chimney will prevent a dangerous fire from breaking out inside of the flue the next time your fireplace is in use.

Caring for your chimney requires that you engage in routine maintenance to keep the chimney in good condition. Remembering to check for unwanted guests, repair water damage, and clean out your chimney's interior each spring will help ensure that you have access to functional fireplaces well into the future.