One of the crucial preparations for the holidays is cleaning the chimney. When the wood is burned, chemicals like carbon monoxide, gas, moisture, benzene, and others are released.
Cleaning your chimney is important to avoid damage and unwanted accidents at your fireplace. If a section of your wall appears soft and the paint layer is peeling, there could be a leak in your chimney.
Cleaning your chimney once a year is as crucial as cleaning an important part of your home. Keeping your chimney clean is essential to avoid serious health issues like lung diseases, chest pain, and other harmful diseases.
9 Tips To Clean Your Chimney For The Holidays
⇒ Check For Animals
Check your chimney before you start cleaning because small creatures like squirrels, cats, and other tiny beings like to live in that warm and cozy place.
It’s better to check out little creatures before cleaning, otherwise, you may hurt them. If you discover any nests, then, make room for them in another secure location before beginning the cleaning process.
⇒ Tools Required
Following are the tools that are required for the cleaning purpose.
- Clothes for cleaning
- Drop cloth
- Flashlight
- Long Brush
- Vacuum
- Safety glasses
- Flue brush
- Other necessary brushes
⇒ Take Measurements
Take some measurements of the chimney flue to clean it deeply and thoroughly. Before beginning the cleaning process, measurements must be taken in order to ensure a smooth and easy operation.
Taking measures will assist you in determining the length of the chimney, and then you can attach your brush to the rope to clean it.
⇒ Preparation For Cleaning
Cover the fireplace with cloth, and do not forget to cover your upholstery items to keep them protected from the dust and debris that may settle on them during the cleaning of the chimney. This will make the post-cleaning process smooth and easy.
⇒ Remove Damper
Attach a damper and a brush together, after which you can take off the damper from the chimney and wipe it separately with a drop cloth. Removing it will also make the chimney cleaning process.
⇒ Insertion Of Brush
Take the rope and attach the brush to it, and now arrange the ladder according to the length of the chimney. Climb to the top of the chimney and then rub that brush against the chimney flue to clean it, scrubbing it in an up-and-down motion. Do this till you finish scrubbing every part of the chimney.
⇒ Bottom-up Chimney Cleaning
Now climb down the ladder and start cleaning in the bottom-up direction. Attach the brush to the rope and start scrubbing the flue in the up and down motion so that whichever part is left for cleaning from the top can be covered from the bottom.
⇒ Cleaning Of Entrance
In the basement of the chimney, you will find one door-like area where all the ash, creosote, smoke, and tar are collected. Collect all the stuff and place it into a bucket. Cleaning this entrance is essential to clean your chimney completely.
⇒ Clean The Fireplace
Clean up the dust, dirt, and ashes from the fireplace and collect them into a dustpan, and dump the garbage according to the rules of your location because creosote is flammable and can cause unwanted fires.
Summing Up
Now you can enjoy warm and cozy winter nights by following these 9 easy tips. You can clean your chimney efficiently for the holidays if you follow these simple and amazing tips. If you cannot perform these steps on your own, then contact professionals to clean up your chimney. Professionals will leave your chimney clean and fresh, which will be perfect for long, freezing nights.
