Fireplaces provide extra warmth on the cold days of winter and a sense of home and comfort to your family. Maintaining your chimney ensures that each homeowner can enjoy their fireplace safely. This can include a number of things, like a chimney inspection and basic brick chimney repair. Cleaning a chimney is integral to enjoying your fireplace for years to come. How often should your chimney be inspected?

Yearly Inspection

Simply cleaning out your chimney will not maintain the structure long-term. Chimneys should be inspected every year. The inspection will let you know if you need clean out old soot, conduct brick chimney repair, or need to replace the crown. Wood burning stoves and fireplaces should be checked halfway through the winter. This ensures that everything is working safely and properly.

Sweeping and Cleaning

Regular sweeping and cleaning of the chimney will help maintain it. Checking regularly for too much soot and debris like twigs, pine cones, and leaves is important. You want to check for too much build-up of creosote. What is creosote? It is the material that builds up due to chimney use. It is very flammable and can easily set fire to the home. In fact, neglecting to clean up creosote is one of the leading causes of home fires.

Weather Damage

Check your chimney regularly for signs of deterioration and damage like cracking, broken bricks, and structural damage. High winds can damage your chimney considerably. A rain cap will keep out critters and destructive precipitation.

Professional Cleaning

A professional inspector will take the time to sweep and clean your fireplace and chimney. He or she will also check the smoke chamber and flue, the exterior, the firebox, and the liners. A professional will check for any structural damage or need for repair. A newer option is a video inspection. Ask about the latest technology during your next inspection. Check your chimney on a yearly basis to maintain it for a long time.