When winter draws in, nothing beats the feeling of curling up by the warm and cozy fire. But behind this warmth, a hidden danger could be building up in your chimney. When you burn wood, an oily residue made of some wood tars and creosote is formed in a chimney flue. With neglect, this buildup can become a fire hazard and affect the air quality in your home. Therefore, getting your chimney swept on a routine basis becomes a crucial part of being a homeowner. Having chimney sweeps perform regular maintenance is essential to maintaining the safety, efficacy and longevity of your system as they help to remove potentially dangerous creosote from chimney flues before it can become an issue. What is Creosote? Creosote refers to a dark sticky substance that is a wood smoke byproduct. When smoke wafts up the chimney, it cools and condenses. The smoke thus is deposited as creosote inside the flue walls. Creosote accumulation occurs in three major stages. Stage 1 - residue like soot. A light an...
