Chimney sweep in Lake Holden with written pricing first

Rods and brushes sized to your flue

A brush that is too small spins through the middle of a flue and leaves the corners coated. One that is too large jams or strains the lining. Before any cleaning, our technicians measure the flue opening and choose a brush head that matches its size and shape, whether round, square or rectangular.

The rods connect in sections, so the length grows with the chimney. Flexible rods follow a flue that offsets. Stiffer rods give more push in a straight run with heavy deposits. Several brush heads may be used in one flue as the work moves from loose soot to more stubborn buildup.

Every sweep we do starts with that match, because the right brush does more of the work than extra force does.

• Flue size and shape measured before brushing
• Brush head matched to the lining
• Rod length set to the full height of the flue
• Extra passes where deposits are heaviest

Protecting your room while the flue is brushed

Soot is fine and travels easily, so protecting the room comes before the first brush stroke. Our technicians lay drop cloths from the door to the hearth, cover the floor and furniture closest to the opening, and seal off the fireplace opening while the flue is brushed.

Loosened soot is caught behind that cover and then collected at the hearth, instead of drifting across the room. The seal stays up until the brushing above is finished and the dust has settled.

Tell us about rugs, light fabrics or delicate finishes near the fireplace when you set up the visit. We protect those first and move nothing heavy without asking.

• Drop cloths along the path to the fireplace
• Floor and hearth covered before any cleaning
• Fireplace opening sealed while brushes run
• Work area cleaned before the crew leaves

Two fireplaces sharing one chimney stack

Two fireplaces on different floors or on opposite sides of a wall often share one chimney stack, each with its own flue. They are two cleaning jobs. Each has its own firebox, damper, smoke chamber and smoke shelf, and the deposits in one tell you nothing about the other.

Each room is protected in turn. Our crew cleans each fireplace from its own firebox up and brushes each flue from the roof, keeping the debris from one out of the other.

The estimate lists each fireplace separately. If one sees regular fires and the other is almost never lit, the busy one usually carries heavier deposits, and the written record shows that difference for your Lake Holden home. You can also choose to clean only the one you use and leave the other for later.

Why creosote in the flue is a fire hazard

Creosote is fuel. EPA guidance describes it as a highly combustible black or brown residue and says that if enough builds up in the chimney it could cause a chimney fire. One chimney maker adds that ignited creosote makes an extremely hot fire.

A fire belongs in the firebox. A thick layer of deposits in the flue gives heat and sparks from below something else to catch, out of sight and above the room. The thicker that layer grows, the more fuel sits waiting in the flue.

Removing the fuel is what a sweep does. Our technicians clear deposits from every surface the brushes reach and tell you plainly if any part of the flue still holds buildup they could not remove. In Lake Holden, a glazed section is quoted for its own removal treatment, and the fireplace is best left cold until that is done.