Tips You Should Keep In Mind When Cleaning Your Chimney

Other than soot, using the chimney also leads to the accumulation of creosote. Creosote is dangerous when it’s not removed in good time. It’s one of the leading causes of household fires. While you can get an expert to do handyman Tucson, you might want to find another option that’s less expensive, especially if you use the fireplace regularly.

With a few tools from your local hardware store, the following tips should help you get the work done:

Preparation

Inspect your chimney to determine whether it needs handyman services Tucson basically once a year or more in case you use the fireplace often. Flash a light into the flute. Scrape off some of the creosote for inspection. In case the substance is 1/8 inches in thickness or more, your chimney needs to be cleaned. In case you clean it once annually, make sure you clean it before the cold season starts.

Inspection

The chimney can be warm enough for small animals to make it their home. Before you start drywall repair Tucson, inspect to make sure there are no small animals in there. If there are any, take the necessary precautions when removing them.

Measurements

Get the measurements of the flute, top to bottom and side measurements. You can even use a ladder and take these measurements. Most flutes are either round or square and measure between 6 and 8 inches.

In case you are not certain about the measurements and you are just guessing, it is wise to overstate your estimates. It’s better to have more piping or ropes to enable you to brush the chimney.

Supplies

You should visit your local hardware store for cleaning supplies.

The following are some of the items that you will need for handyman Tucson AZ:

– Goggles and dust mask
– Dustpan and broom
– Chimney brush
– Ladder
– Drop cloth or plastic tarp
– Stiff wire brush
– Extension pipes for the chimney brush

Proper Clothing

Make sure you dress appropriately for this. If you are worried about soot, put on some old clothes that you do not use anymore. Cover your hair. Avoid loose clothing because it’s easy to get caught up in the cleaning process, and can cause accidents. You will also have to put on your dust mask and goggles.

Preparing the House

Given the amount of dust that comes with this process, drape the fireplace accordingly. Make sure the plastic tarp or drop cloth extends by a few feet to the living room. If there’s any furniture around, cover them properly, and roll back your carpet.

Once this is done, you can remove the damper from the flute. You should be able to find the damper handle from within the chimney. With the wire brush, clean the damper properly. Remove it from the chimney and then set it aside, preferably on the drop cloth. This is important so that you do not interfere with the chimney brush when you are sweeping your chimney.

Finishing Off

Clean the entrance to the chimney. All the dirt that you cleaned should have collected at the base. Get a shovel for this, and then after that, you can return the damper handle. When you are done, follow the necessary procedure in disposing the creosote and/or soot according to the local legislation. Do not throw creosote in the trash because it’s highly flammable.