If you burn wood in a wood burning stove or a fireplace, your chimney should be inspected at least once a year to determine if it needs cleaning. It can be inspected by looking up the chimney through the clean out trap at the bottom of the chimney with a mirror. It you don’t see a clear view of the sky then your chimney needs cleaning.

Most likely it will need cleaning every year to remove the creosote that builds up on the inside of the chimney liner.

If the creosote is not removed, it can ignite causing a chimney fire that can destroy the chimney and even destroy your home. Chimney cleaning is an easy DIY task that most homeowners can do and can save themselves approximately $200. Cleaning the chimney requires only a chimney cleaning brush to be pulled up and down the chimney a few times to remove the creosote that clings to the side of the chimney.

Take a look at our DIY “how to clean a chimney video” for information and how to clean a chimney.

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