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Chimneys need regular maintenance and cleaning in order to protect against fire hazards. You should do a thorough clean each spring, after the heating season but can also do cleaning during the winter to prevent build up. What precautions do you need to take when cleaning your chimney?

Protect Yourself When Doing Chimney Cleaning

When cleaning your chimney yourself you need to take special precautions to protect yourself first – wear a mask to prevent breathing in dust, wear protection over your eyes and also gloves. You should also be constantly aware of dangers such as electrical and fire hazards, as well as being careful when handling the brushes used to clean your chimney.

You should also protect the areas surrounding the fireplace and chimney as the soot and debris from the chimney can damage the furniture and rugs in the area and so you should cover these before beginning your work.

It is best to leave the chimney for a while before attempting to clean it to allow the fireplace and chimney to cool as much as possible and always be aware of hot coals and remove these carefully and properly.

What You Need to Do Chimney Cleaning

When doing chimney cleaning you will need some special brushes and rods to clean with and the brushes you choose will depend on the size of your chimney. You will also need some other supplies such as a small shovel, a metal bucket and powerful flashlight.

Can a Contractor Assist You?

If chimney cleaning sounds complicated or too much of a chore to you then you may want to hire a contractor to come in and clean your chimney. You can find chimney cleaning contractors in the HandyAmerican.com database in your area. Contact a few and find out how much they would charge to come and clean your chimney and then call them in when you are ready to have your chimney cleaned again.

Chimney cleaning should be done regularly but also carefully to avoid dangers. You should always protective clothing such as eye protection, a dust mask and gloves to clean your chimney and should also protect the area surrounding the chimney from dust and soot that could damage your furniture or carpets.