Chimney sweep and flue cleaning in Maitland

Which flue gets swept in a multi-flue chimney

Some chimneys carry more than one flue inside a single stack. From the roof you may see two or three openings side by side. Each serves a different fireplace or appliance, and each holds its own deposits.

Before cleaning, our technicians match every flue to what it serves, by checking the draft from each opening or tracing each one from the top, so the flue brushed is the one connected to the fireplace you use.

The written estimate names each flue by what it serves, such as the living room fireplace or a stove in the family room, so you know which ones are included. A flue that serves nothing, or one you stopped using, is noted too, since it may still need a cap. With several openings on the roof, no Maitland homeowner pays for a flue that was never touched.

Sweeping an outdoor masonry fireplace

An outdoor masonry fireplace collects the same deposits as an indoor one, plus rain, leaves and whatever the wind carries into an open firebox. Because it often sits idle between gatherings, wet debris and ash can stay in it for long stretches.

The work matches an indoor sweep. The flue is swept, the smoke shelf and firebox are cleared and the damper is worked if there is one. Soot on a patio or outdoor furniture is still a mess, so the area around the opening gets covered before brushing.

Some outdoor fireplaces are built without a cap. An open flue lets rain and animals in, and our technicians say so if yours is uncapped and quote a cap separately. The same burning basics apply outside as in, with dry seasoned wood and no trash in the fire. Backyard or living room, every sweep in Maitland starts with the same free inspection and written estimate.

Setting the damper before you light

A damper left partly closed is one of the conditions EPA guidance links to faster creosote buildup, because it restricts the air that moves smoke up the chimney. It can also send smoke out the front of the opening.

Factory-built fireplaces follow their own manuals. One owner's manual for a factory-built model, for example, calls for its damper to be fully open whenever the fireplace is in use. For a masonry fireplace, move the handle to its fully open position and confirm it by looking up with a flashlight before the match is struck.

During the sweep, our crew shows you the open and closed positions of the control if they are not obvious. That small step helps you avoid a smoky start and a flue that coats faster than it should.

What the free inspection covers before we sweep

The free inspection is how every sweep starts. Our technicians look at the firebox, damper, smoke chamber and smoke shelf from inside, and at the flue, cap and chimney top from the roof when it is safe to get there.

The goal is a clear written estimate before any cleaning starts. It says whether a sweep is needed, what method suits your system, whether any glazed sections need separate treatment and whether anything found needs repair first.

For Maitland homeowners the inspection is free, and going ahead with the work is entirely your choice. The estimate is yours to keep. If the roof cannot be reached safely that day, it says which parts were seen from inside only.

• Type and depth of deposits in the flue
• Damper operation and condition
• Cap and screen at the chimney top
• Visible damage that affects cleaning