Fireplace Chimney – how to clean it
There are thirteen steps that will help you clean up your chimney:
1. The first thing you need to do is to buy a set of brushes and chimney rods at your local hardware store.
2. To protect your eyes don safety goggles, dust mask and change into old clothes – this work can happen to be dirty one.
Then lay out a clean tarp in front of the fireplace and cover the fireplace opening.
3. Open the fireplace’s damper. The fireplace’s damper is the metal door up inside the fireplace, located above the firebox. The fireplace’s damper has an important function, it blocks air from entraining your house when your fireplace chimney doesn’t work.
How to clean fireplace chimney
4. Climb up on your roof. Be careful, climbing up on the roof is not a picnic.
Don’t forget to take brushes and rods with you!
5. The next step is to remove chimney cap.
Chimney cap, or spark arrestor in other words, is an essential part of fireplace chimneys. It keep out rain, debris, small animals and keep sparks from escaping your chimney.
Don’t forget to check its condition.
6. Read the guide provided by the manufacturer of equipment and according to the guide assemble the chimney brushes and rods.
7. Use the brush moving it up and down.
Note that there are brushes that are designed to twist as well.
8. Return to your house and clean the flue using a short brush. The flue is the pipe that runs between the chimney and the fireplace.
9. The cold ashes must be removed from the damper and the fireplace. A vacuum cleaner or small broom will do for that task.
10. Use dry scrub brush to brush the floor and walls.
11. By means of brush clean the creosote built up, which is behind the damper.
12. Vacuum up all of the dust and debris.
