How to Winterize Your Fireplace and Chimney

With winter fast approaching, it’d be a good idea to inspect your fireplace and chimney. A dirty fireplace and chimney can drastically lower indoor air quality and comfort. Here’s you how to winterize your chimney and fireplace. 

Clean Your Chimney Flue and Fireplace 

Burning wood produces soot and creosote, a thick, oily, flammable material. These two substances can be detrimental to your respiratory health, not to mention clog the chimneys, trapping noxious fumes inside. That’s why cleaning the chimney flue should be at the top of anyone’s pre-winter maintenance list. 

How often should you have your chimney cleaned? The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) says soot buildup shouldn’t reach 1/8 inch. It’s also good practice to clean and inspect it before the start of fall and winter. 

As for your fireplace, spray a vinegar cleaning solution on stubborn soot stains, and scrub them. For marble and stone fireplaces, use a dishwashing cleaning solution instead. However, since soot and creosote are hazardous substances, we recommend hiring a chimney sweep instead of cleaning the fireplace and chimney yourself. 

Inspect the Integrity of Your Chimney 

Don’t forget to have the chimney sweep inspect the integrity of your chimney as well. The flue cap should be firmly in place, the chimney masonry should be free of cracks, and the flue pipe shouldn’t have any loose sections. Otherwise, smoke can leak into your interior. 

One more thing: make sure to hire an experienced and reputable chimney contractor. Inspecting and repairing cramped spaces, like the inside of your chimney flue, requires a certain level of expertise. 

Chimney Doctors, a locally owned and operated chimney sweep with over 20 years’ worth of experience and an A-plus rating from the Better Business Bureau, offers a wide range of professional chimney inspection and repair services, including chimney relining services. We serve homeowners in Saratoga Springs, NY, as well as the surrounding communities.