Removing Creosote in Your Chimney
Are you having trouble with your chimney? Have you noticed black sticky substance accumulating in there? Are you particularly worried that there might be creosote building up inside? Well, you are right to be concerned. You might be wondering why we should fuss over a thing like that when it seems harmless. But creosote in the chimneys, especially when neglected and allowed to build up, can pose a great danger to you and your family.
What is Creosote?
Creosote is unburned material that lingers in your chimney due to wood smoke. It is the residue left after burning wood and is composed of tar and soot. This is dangerous because it can clog your chimney and prevent toxin-filled smoke to stay inside the house instead of coming out. Not only that, it is combustible and can cause deadly fires to occur. Note that creosote cannot be avoided. Perhaps the only way to prevent this from happening is if you don’t use your chimney at all which, in our opinion, defeats the purpose of having a chimney and fireplace in the first place. What you need to do is have it cleaned and regularly.
The Three Stages of Removing Creosote in Your Chimney
There are actually three different stages and degrees of creosote in your chimney. They range from the simplest to the most complex form. As the degree heightens, the kind of equipment used becomes more complex and intricate as well. That is why we follow a system to carefully remove creosote and eventually provide a stable and safe home to live in.
First degree build-up of creosote has a relatively huge amount of soot thus can be easily removed by a professional chimney sweep using a specialized brush. This is typical for open and complete combustion in an open fireplace. This hastens the spread of creosote because of the air that is directed instantly towards the chimney opening and into the outside.
Second degree creosote look like shiny black flakes; like that of typically sized cornflakes only more abundant than what you normally see inside the box. During this stage, the creosote is a bit harder to remove and might need extra time for sweeping and more specialized equipment and chemicals to remove the creosote. Also, at this stage, air becomes more restricted due to the vast accumulation of creosote in your chimney walls. This usually happens when there are glass doors in the fireplace.
But what we mentioned above is nothing compared to a third degree build-up of creosote. At this point, heavy, thick layers of creosote are occupying your chimney walls. This is caused by low flue temperatures and when combustion is incomplete. This happens when:
- The chimney is cold
- The house is tightly shut thus preventing fresh air from coming in the home
- Using moist, unseasoned wood
By now, creosote is all over your chimney walls and becomes thicker by the minute. It is now extremely flammable because of the strong toxins and elements it now possesses. This is when a chimney fire could potentially happen.
It will be difficult to remove the entire residue but rest-assured there are special chemicals that will do the trick for this particular stage, but expect that your chimney will never be the same again. We also suggest that this is also the perfect time to start replacing your chimney liners with a new one.
For others, this might seem like a very big problem that’s too hard to handle. But if you know who to call, getting rid of that filthy creosote will be a cinch. Here at Mason’s Chimney Service & Certified Air Duct Cleaning Incorporated, we are duly licensed and we pride ourselves with the highest standard of work ethic and professionalism. We have over fifty-five years of experience with countless satisfied customers. Call us now and we’ll gladly take on the challenge of removing creosote in your chimney and maintaining the safety in your home.