Chimney sweep and fireplace cleaning in Bay Ridge

After a flue fire, the chimney waits for a check

If you know or suspect that a fire once burned inside your flue, say so before the sweep. One chimney maker notes that ignited creosote makes an extremely hot fire, and its instructions say the chimney should not be used again after a flue fire until it has been inspected for damage.

That sets the order of the visit. The sweep clears the deposits so the surfaces can be seen, and anything unusual our technicians notice in the deposits, the lining or the metal parts is described in writing, without guessing at the cause. A formal evaluation of possible fire damage belongs to our chimney inspection service, and the fireplace stays out of use until it is done.

A fire burning in the flue right now is a different situation. Get everyone out of the house and call 911 first.

A stove or insert venting into an old fireplace flue

When a stove or insert is set into a masonry fireplace, it often ends up venting into a flue that was built for an open fire. The Florida Building Code says a masonry chimney lining must suit the type of appliance connected to it, following the appliance listing and the maker's instructions.

EPA guidance adds that the longer smoke stays in the flue, and the cooler the chimney runs, the more creosote forms. If a flue in that setup collects deposits faster than the fires would explain, the lining is worth a closer look.

Sweeping clears what is there. When our technicians find this setup, they check what the insert or stove manual calls for and write up a matching liner as a separate option under our liner service. The sweep and the liner are two decisions for homeowners in Bay Ridge, and the estimate keeps them apart.

What should never go into the firebox

A fireplace is not a trash burner. EPA guidance lists materials that can release toxic or harmful chemicals when burned and may damage the appliance they burn in.

If any of these have gone into your fireplace, tell our technicians, since it helps them to know what is being cleaned out of the flue. EPA's list also calls out the colored ink on magazines, boxes and wrappers, so glossy paper stays out of the fire too.

The sweep clears what those fires left behind in your Bay Ridge home, and the written record notes anything unusual in the deposits so the next cleaning has a point of comparison.

• Household trash, cardboard, plastics and foam
• Coated, painted or pressure-treated wood
• Ocean driftwood, plywood, particle board or glued wood
• Wet, rotted, diseased or moldy wood

Sweeping a fireplace in a condo or townhouse

A fireplace in a condo or townhouse often shares a roof, a wall or a chimney structure with neighbors. The flue serving your unit may run beside others, and the roof may be managed by the building rather than by you.

Access comes first. Our crew confirms whether roof access needs permission from the building's management, and whether the flue can be cleaned from inside the unit instead. Matching your fireplace to the right flue on the roof matters even more here, since the flue next to yours belongs to someone else.

The written record names your unit, your fireplace and your flue, which is useful if the building asks when the flue was last cleaned. Any finding that touches shared structure is written up so you can take it to the people responsible for it.