OCR Text |
Show Keeping your chimney clean submitted by the Park City Fire Department It's important to clean your chimney once a year to prevent the build-up of creosote and ash that can lead to chimney fires. This can be done professionally, and that's what the fire department recommends. recom-mends. But if you don't mind getting dirty, here's how you can clean your chimney yourself: First, you will need a wire chimney brush which fits snugly inside your chimney, touching all sides. You'll need some drop cloths and tape, a wire brush, and a small shovel, bucket and broom. Add to this the ladders and safety ropes you'll need to work safely on your roof, and the handle you'll need to push the brush: either a fiberglass extension rod kit or a brush loop with non-organic line both specialty chimney-cleaning accessories. You'll also need goggles, earplugs and a breathing mask it's going to get dusty and gritty up there. Choose a windless day to avoid the possibility of sudden downdrafts blowing soot into your house. For further protection, put drop cloths over the hearth and across the fireplace opening, and leave the flue damper closed. Insert the chimney brush and run it back and forth many times, up and down the whole length of the chimney, until the brush move', easily. To do this, you may push the brush using long, flexible fiberglass rods, or by suspending a 12-pound weight below the brush. If your chimney has a removable cleaning tee at ground level and you have an assistant, you can mount the brush with a long rope on each end this is called a brush loop. Using an assistant, you can clean the chimney quickly by means of the push-pull method. While you're up there, check for structural defects or items like bird nests which might restrict air flow. After cleaning the chimney, wait about 15 minutes for the dust to settle. Then go into the fireplace and clean the flue, damper and fireplace walls with the wire brush. This part really gets messy. Finally, use the broom, shovel and bucket to clean up all soot and debris and store it for disposal in a closed metal container. Avoid skin contact with chimney soot as much as you can. Synthetic garments are better for this than cotton or wool, and gloves are advisable. Also, don't try to do away with the shovel by using your vacuum cleaner to clean out the fireplace. Home vacuums aren't designed for these materials and may malfunction. |