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Chimney Maintenance
If you use your fireplace or a wood burning stove during the winter months, the National Fire
Protection Agency recommends annual chimney
inspections.
Soft woods such as pine, cardboard, paper
and paper logs burned in a fireplace or stove
release a residue that rises with the heat.
This residue, called creosote, condenses
and collects on the chimney walls. This residue
can come in many different forms: powdery,
sticky, thick, and chunky. Some of these
residues are easier to clean than others.
If your chimney does not have a cap, this
problem can be compounded by animal nests,
leaves, and other debris. If untended, these
can ignite and lead to your house catching
on fire.
Here are a few tips to help avoid
a chimney
fire:
- Make sure you have a chimney cap to keep animals and debris out of your chimney
- Have your chimney inspected for cracks
- Only burn hard woods and avoid burning cardboard,
paper, or Christmas trees, which can spark
a fire.
There are chimney cleaning products on the
market that claim to eliminate the creosote
from your chimney without having to hire
a professional. However, depending on the
type and amount of build up, there is nothing
as good as having a professional certified
chimney sweep do the job.
Spring is a good time to arrange
to have
this work done, as the service
firms are
not as busy (most people put
the work off
until the cold weather returns).
A chimney
inspection usually costs $30-$50.
A chimney
sweep will run between $60 and
$130 --- depending
on the amount of work that needs
to be done.
To find a certified, reputable
chimney sweep,
ask friends for recommendations
or check
with your local Better Business
Bureau. |
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