Chimney sweep in Windermere 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

Why chemical sprays do not replace brushing

Chimney cleaning sprays and powders are sold with the promise of loosening creosote. Some can change how a deposit behaves, but none of them carry it out of the flue. Mechanical brushing is still what removes the material, and whatever a product loosens still has to be brushed down and carried out.

Manufacturer instructions are cautious about chemicals. One maker of metal chimneys says to use chemical cleaners only as a last resort, and only products whose manufacturer specifically warrants them as non-corrosive to the chimney. A spray that is harmless on clay tile may not be harmless on a stainless system.

Our crew brushes first. Where a glazed deposit calls for a chemical treatment, we use one made for that job, apply it per its label, check it against the chimney maker's instructions and list it on your estimate as a separate line.

Chimney odor removal starts at the source

A smoky, tar-like smell from a fireplace that has not been lit in days usually traces back to deposits in the flue, the smoke chamber and the smoke shelf. Air moving down an idle chimney carries that smell into the room.

Chimney odor removal starts with taking the source out. Brushing the flue, clearing the smoke shelf and emptying old ash removes the material that carries the smell. Air fresheners and sprays only cover it for a while. A damper that closes fully between fires also keeps the smell from drifting down into the room.

If the smell is musty or animal-like instead of smoky, the cause is different, and our crew says so. A dead animal, a nest or water getting into the flue needs its own fix, and cleaning alone will not end that smell in your Windermere home.

Black streaks running down the firebox wall

Dark, shiny streaks running down the back wall of the firebox or from the damper area suggest creosote in the flue that is wet and sticky or has started to glaze. Smoke condensing in a cool flue leaves a tar-like residue, and some of it can run before it hardens.

A streaked firebox tends to go with a flue that runs cool, a damper that is not fully open or wood that is not dry. Brushing removes what is soft. What has hardened into a glaze needs a separate removal treatment.

Our technicians trace where the streaks start, look at the flue above them after sweeping and tell you which parts the brush cleared and which need glazed creosote removal. For your Windermere home, both are priced in writing before the work begins.