Get fired up about chimney maintenance

As we rapidly speed toward fall and winter, chimney maintenance comes to mind. Now is the best time to clean your chimney because your roof is dry and generally easy to walk on.

Chimneys get dirty when creosote builds up along the flue — it’s kinda like cholesterol in a blood vessel. Creosote, which is released when wood burns, rises in the smoke and condenses as it passes the relatively cool walls of the flue. You can slow the process by being sure that the fire has an adequate air supply. Keeping the damper and glass doors of the fireplace fully open.

There’s no way to completely prevent creosote from building up over time, however, left untreated, creosote can make your fireplace or stove burn less efficiently and can lead to a chimney fire.

Cleaning a chimney is a very messy and potentially dangerous project. It requires special brushes that are precisely fitted to the size of your flue, and plenty of drop cloths to protect the inside of your home. Depending on the configuration of your fireplace and chimney, it may be possible to sweep from inside of the house.

Chimneys should be inspected at least once a year and cleaned as necessary. The inspection should be done by a certified technician. One example of a certification firm is CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America).

The key here is to make sure you hire a person who has the training and skill to do the job and do it right. Before you hire someone, ask about their insurance and references. Take a moment and call the Better Business Bureau to see if the firm has had any problems with other clients.

When it comes to chimneys, an ounce of prevention is worth 20 pounds of cure.

When cleaning with any cleaning product, always wear eye protection and rubber gloves to protect your hands. If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES (255-2266), e-mail them to madan@nwees.com or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church street, Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What would Ed do?

For more information about Ed and his new handyman services, check him out at www.nwees.com.

Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection and remediation/restoration contractor. Ed is the president of Northwest Environmental Services, Inc.