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Top 5 Signs Your Chimney Needs to Be Cleaned This Summer

Posted Jul 24, 2024 in Chimneys

As sum­mer heats up, it might seem like an odd time to think about your chim­ney. How­ev­er, sum­mer is actu­al­ly an ide­al time for chim­ney main­te­nance, ensur­ing it’s ready for safe use when the cold­er months arrive. Here are the top five signs that your chim­ney needs clean­ing this summer.

1. Cre­osote Buildup

Cre­osote is a high­ly flam­ma­ble sub­stance that forms from burn­ing wood. Over time, it accu­mu­lates inside your chim­ney and can become a seri­ous fire haz­ard. If you notice a thick, tar-like residue or flaky black soot in your fire­place or chim­ney, it’s a clear sign that your chim­ney needs cleaning.

2. Poor Draft

If smoke is not ris­ing up the chim­ney and is instead spilling back into your home, it indi­cates poor draft and a like­ly block­age. This could be caused by cre­osote buildup, debris, or even a bird’s nest. A pro­fes­sion­al clean­ing will clear these obstruc­tions and restore prop­er ventilation.

3. Strong Odors

Unpleas­ant smells ema­nat­ing from your fire­place or chim­ney, espe­cial­ly dur­ing the sum­mer, often indi­cate a dirty chim­ney. The buildup of cre­osote and soot can pro­duce a strong, smoky odor. Addi­tion­al­ly, mois­ture mix­ing with these deposits can cre­ate musty smells. Clean­ing the chim­ney will help elim­i­nate these odors.

4. Vis­i­ble Soot and Debris

If you notice exces­sive amounts of soot and debris falling into your fire­place or hearth, it’s a sign that your chim­ney needs atten­tion. This debris can accu­mu­late over time, indi­cat­ing that a thor­ough clean­ing is over­due to pre­vent poten­tial hazards.

5. Ani­mal Activity

Yikes! Hear­ing strange nois­es, chirp­ing, or see­ing ani­mal drop­pings around your chim­ney indi­cates that crit­ters may have tak­en up res­i­dence. Birds, squir­rels, and rac­coons often seek shel­ter in chim­neys. Remov­ing these ani­mals and clean­ing out any nests or debris they leave behind is essen­tial for safe chim­ney use.

Reg­u­lar chim­ney main­te­nance is cru­cial for pre­vent­ing fire haz­ards and ensur­ing your fire­place oper­ates effi­cient­ly. If you notice any of these signs, sched­ule a pro­fes­sion­al chim­ney clean­ing this sum­mer. Tak­ing action now will give you peace of mind and a cozy, safe fire­place come winter.

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For more home main­te­nance tips, stay tuned to our blog to keep your home in top shape year-round!