Most people enjoy sitting in front of a cozy fire on a wintry evening. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, it’s important to make sure everything is in working order before building that first fire of the season.

This is usually a job for a chimney sweep. Fireplaces should be cleaned every two years, because as little as 1/8” of creosote (produced when wood is burned) can cause a chimney fire. Soot and creosote can cause respiratory problems, too. Clogged flues and other venting problems can cause a deadly build-up of carbon monoxide in the home.

In addition to removing creosote and other residue from the inside of the chimney, a reputable sweep should look at other safety issues: (Read more….)