How to Close Your Fireplace for the Season

5/6/2020

Just as no one would ever want to leave a filthy mess in their kitchen for months on end, or clutter up your family room. Then why ignore your fireplace when it comes to spring cleaning. It can be pretty nasty business to ignore a wood-burning fireplace and chimney throughout the offseason. By taking steps to properly close your fireplace, you will have a clean venting system and find out whether any chimney repairs are needed. It is always important to schedule chimney repairs sooner rather than later to avoid worsening damage and higher repair costs. The following are tips for closing your fireplace for the season and ensuring that you are all set to safely enjoy the pleasure of a warm, crackling fire in the coming winter.

Schedule Professional Chimney Cleaning

Certified chimney sweeps like the experts at Clean Sweep Chimney Service in the St. Louis MO area have the right tools and training to thoroughly clean your chimney. The main reason chimney cleaning is important when you have a wood-burning fireplace is because creosote is deposited in the chimney lining every time you build a fire. Creosote consists of toxic, highly flammable combustion materials. Failing to schedule chimney cleaning to remove creosote is the cause of many devastating home fires every year. In warm summer months, creosote can cause an unpleasant odor in your home.

Homeowners often don’t realize that by not getting the chimney cleaned, creosote forms in layers, one after the other. All of that combustible material increases the risk of having a dangerous chimney fire, which is an event that often leads to a life-threatening home fire. Another danger is that the creosote can create an obstruction to the point that the gases cannot get through the chimney and, therefore, back up into the home. This is extremely dangerous because of the possibility of deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is invisible, tasteless, odorless, and symptomless. For those reasons, it is known as the Silent Killer. An operational carbon monoxide detector is a must when you use a solid-fuel appliance in your home.

An additional reason chimney cleaning is essential is because there are three types of creosote, and only one is easy to clean with the right tools. If you have Level 2 creosote, the consistency of the gunk is more difficult to remove. Level 3 creosote looks as though tar was poured down the chimney, and it can be impossible to remove. It is sometimes recommended that you have a new stainless-steel chimney liner installed in the existing flue if Level 3 creosote simply won’t respond to the experts’ methods for removing it, which include the use of chemicals.

Schedule a Chimney Inspection

Call on the qualified chimney experts at Clean Sweep for a chimney inspection, as well. Clean Sweep has been providing reliable chimney services since the late 1970s. We are still providing chimney inspections throughout the greater St. Louis area. Hiring trusted professionals can especially give you peace of mind when it comes to chimney inspections. When chimneys are not properly maintained, using fireplaces can become a threat to home safety. With the help of our professionals, you can find out any problems that may exist in your chimney and fireplace. Chimney issues are seldom obvious until something major happens, such as a chimney leak that causes water spots on your walls or ceilings. Once such things occur, the problem has been ongoing for a while, in most cases.

Remove Firewood Remnants & Ash from your Fireplace

The chimney technicians that remove your creosote typically clean out the fireplace, as well, using a vacuum and other special equipment that ensures the home interior stays clean. So, the ash has probably been removed. Take out any leftover burnt firewood, as well. You may want to remove the grate for the off-season and add decorative elements to your fireplace. For example, you could place a large candelabra with candles inside your fireplace or simply place a decorative fireplace screen in front of the fireplace.

Close Your Damper, Though More May Be Needed

Your fireplace damper should always be closed when the fireplace is not in use. It can drive up energy costs if you have a damper that doesn’t seal properly because your heated air from central heating will escape through the chimney, as though you had a window open. If your heating costs are through-the-roof, your damper may need repair. Another option for the offseason is to add a fireplace insert, which is much more eco-friendly and provides significantly more heat. With an insert, there’s no reason to worry about an exchange of air through your chimney because an insert is a closed combustion system that provides a reliable airtight seal.

Contact Clean Sweep Chimney Service Today

Call on the experts at Clean Sweep Chimney Service for help properly closing your fireplace for the offseason. One of the crucial aspects of an inspection is that a special video camera can be used to show you the condition of the entire chimney flue. If there is even a tiny crack, the flue should be repaired or replaced before the fireplace is used again. We will keep your chimney in top operating condition and help you maximize the benefits of your fireplace. Call the top chimney sweep experts in the St. Louis, MO, metro area today at (636) 477-9966.