How Often Should I Have My Chimney Or Furnace Flue Cleaned?

Keeping your chimney and furnace flue clean is paramount to a healthy and safe home, but just how often do you need to schedule this type of maintenance? Great question! There are a few factors to consider:

• The type of fuel you burn in your fireplace or furnace

• The age and condition of your chimney

• How much you use your furnace or chimney each year

Fuel Type​

• Wood — A chimney or furnace flue that vents wood will need to be swept and cleaned once or twice a year because wood produces more byproducts, like creosote (a flammable and damaging deposit) and soot, which can cause damage to the chimney and flue and even lead to a house fire. If you’re burning green wood (wood that isn’t properly seasoned) or more than two cords of wood a season (one cord is about 128 cubic feet of wood), you’ll likely need to have your chimney or furnace flue cleaned even more frequently.

• Oil — An oil flue will need to be cleaned and inspected for soot buildup or blockages that could affect ventilation once a year. Heavy buildup of soot can be indicative of a problem with the furnace or boiler itself and keep up with annual inspections and cleanings can be helpful for identifying these types of problems early on.

• Gas — Gas furnace flues and chimneys that vent gas appliances should be cleaned and inspected annually because, even though gas is an efficient and clean-burning fuel, gas furnaces, fireplaces, stoves, and inserts can still have problems. Highly efficient gas appliances produce high levels of water vapor, which can settle along the chimney and flue in the form of water condensation. This water vapor, along with the hydrochloric acid which can also be produced by modern gas appliances, can lead to deterioration of the flue, but regular cleanings can prevent this type of damage.

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What Happens During A Chimney Or Furnace Flue Sweeping?

Now that you know what factors to consider when deciding how often you should have your furnace flue or chimney swept, what do you need to know about the actual sweeping process?

The purpose of the chimney or furnace flue sweeping is to remove any soot, blockages, creosote, or other buildup from the flue liner, the firebox, the smoke chamber, and the damper. In order to do this, those of us here at Chimspector Venting Specialist use specialized tools, brushes, and vacuums designed to leave your chimney and your home clean. With us on the job, you don’t have to worry about any soot or creosote making its way into your home!

Our team is certified and knows just what it takes to provide a thorough and effective chimney sweeping. During the service, we’ll:

• check the firebox for damaged brick and crumbling or missing mortar

• open the damper completely to make sure it moves freely and properly fits against the smoke shelf

• use a flashlight to inspect the damper for cracks, pitting, or rusted sections

• check for debris that would restrict air flow within the flue and remove any debris we find

• check for damage along the flue liner or within the chimney brickwork that could indicate a chimney fire or other problem in need of immediate repair

• check for and remove any creosote deposits that are more than 1/8” thick​