Chimney sweep in Lawsona/Fern Creek with written pricing first

Wood stove chimney cleaning, pipe included

Wood stove chimney cleaning covers more than the flue on the roof. A stove connects to its chimney through a connector pipe, and deposits collect inside that pipe, at its joints and where it enters the chimney or the ceiling support.

Depending on the system, our technicians clean the stove chimney from the top or the bottom, then take down or brush out the connector pipe, clear the stove's flue outlet as far as the stove manual allows, and reassemble everything with the joints tight.

EPA and fire officials recommend having the stove, chimney and vents professionally inspected and cleaned each year. For a stove in your Lawsona/Fern Creek home, we write down the condition of the pipe as well as the chimney, because a rusted or split section of connector gets replaced, not cleaned.

Cleaning a wood insert from the top down

A wood-burning insert sits inside a masonry fireplace and vents through a liner that runs up the old flue. The insert blocks the path a brush would take from the room, so the liner is usually cleaned from the roof, top down, with the debris collected at the bottom.

At the bottom, the soot lands on the insert's baffle or in its connection to the liner, and it has to be cleared from there. Depending on the model, that means opening the insert and lifting out the baffle, or disconnecting the liner, following the insert maker's instructions.

Our crew sizes the brush to the liner rather than the old masonry flue, and uses bristles that will not scratch stainless steel. For inserts in Lawsona/Fern Creek, we confirm the model ahead of the visit so the right steps are known, and a damaged liner section is quoted apart from the cleaning.

Getting your fireplace ready for the sweep

The fireplace needs to be cold. Plan the last fire at least a day ahead so the ash and firebox have cooled completely before the crew arrives.

Our crew brings the drop cloths, covers and tools, so you do not need to cover anything yourself. Leave the damper where it is, and do not try to open a stuck one or pull out an insert before the visit, since forcing parts can damage them.

If the yard has a locked gate, a dog or a tricky spot for the ladder, mention it when you set up the visit so the day goes smoothly.

• No fire for at least a day before the visit
• A clear path from the door to the hearth
• Pets and children kept in another room
• Fragile items moved off the mantel

Chimney maintenance between professional visits

Chimney maintenance does not stop when the sweep leaves. Much of what keeps deposits down happens at the firebox, in the wood you burn and how you burn it.

Between visits, keep an eye on the chimney top from the yard. A leaning or missing cap, a nest poking out or dark stains spreading down the brick are worth a call. So are flakes or debris turning up in the firebox between fires.

The written record from each visit gives you a baseline, so changes stand out when the next one comes in. Our crew compares the two before recommending anything new.

• Burn dry, split, seasoned wood in hot, bright fires
• Open the damper fully before every fire
• Empty cooled ash into a covered metal container outside
• Watch for smoke at the opening, odors or falling debris