A dirty fireplace or chimney pose a health risk to your family and a fire threat to the structure of your home.

Whether you have a gas fireplace or a wood fireplace, if you’re burning any kind of fire in your fireplace you’re going to have an accumulation of fire byproducts. The two main byproducts are Soot and Creosote.  Both are toxic to breathe and to touch, and a heavy buildup can pose a fire hazard to your home. On top of that, chimneys that do not have a proper rain cap installed are a potential opening for pest infestation, debris accumulation, or water seepage into the structure of the home. These things also pose a hazard to you and your home.  

At ACD Team Solutions we know how to clean the chimney & fireplace professionally to safely remove any debris, creosote, soot, or pests, and to install the proper chimney cover cap to prevent future infestations as well as prevent water seepage.   

When you burn any kind of fire, you’re going to have 2 things: Smoke, and Other natural byproducts of the stuff you’re burning.  Creosote and Soot are two of the main natural byproducts of burning fires. Whether it’s a fire in your fireplace at home, or a camp-fire outside, or even a small scented candle – you will have creosote and soot as a byproduct of burning it. But just because they’re natural, doesn’t mean they’re ok for your health. In fact, they’re highly toxic to breathe and to touch, and Creosote is a very flammable fire hazard.    

Creosote is a very sticky tar-like substance that results from burning wood and other organic materials, while Soot is the somewhat sticky black dust that results from burning wood, gas, or other substances (like wax in candles). 

It is caused by a lack of oxygen in the fire – when there is improper air flow through the fireplace the combustion of wood or gas in the fireplace is incomplete and this releases a byproduct chemical known as Soot.  This is a black oily dust that is somewhat sticky; it mostly accumulates on the walls of the fireplace and the flue of the chimney and gets stuck there over time, but it can also spread through the air to other parts of your house. Soot is toxic to breathe.

The NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) recommends cleaning your fireplace and chimney annually, preferably at the start of the season.  The CSIA follows NFPA guidelines and similarly recommends cleaning when you have an 1/8″ of an inch buildup of soot or creosote.  Here you can find some further information and great explanations by the CSIA on why fireplace & chimney inspections are necessary annually. 

If you’re in doubt about whether your chimney needs to be cleaned, it is best to schedule only an inspection and have a professional check all aspects of your fireplace and chimney system to address any potential problems before they occur.  Explain your concerns to the professional over the phone and the technician that will arrive to your home, and they will be able to assess the condition of your fireplace and your flue as well as your chimney up on the roof during the inspection process.  Here at ACD Team Solutions we follow the recommended NFPA and CSIA guidelines for annual inspections and cleanings. During an inspection we’ll check for soot and creosote buildup in all parts of your system, but we’ll also look for other potential fire hazards like cracks in the fireplace walls or cracks in the chimney crown (which can cause water damage to the structure of the house); we’ll also inspect your chimney cap to make sure you have a properly installed chimney cover to prevent water seepage into the house and debris or animals/pests from invading your home.

In this case you will probably have very little to no buildup of soot or creosote, however it is still recommended to do a yearly professional inspection of the chimney.  The chimney is exposed to the elements up on the roof and if not consistently maintained it can develop a number of fire hazards or make the home vulnerable to serious water damage.  For example, without a proper chimney cover the house is exposed to pest infestation – birds often make nests in uncovered chimney openings, rodents, bats, insects or other critters can invade the home through a chimney that has no cap.  Exposure to the weather elements may create cracks in the chimney crown which can possibly lead to water seepage into the house foundation and create structural damage to the home in the long term if left unchecked.  A simple inspection once a year will help you prevent the risk of much larger problems in the future.

Even though gas fireplaces burn much cleaner, there is still the possibility of a blocked or malfunctioning gas vent or log, clogs in the gas valves, or debris buildup in the flue.  All these things present a fire hazard.  The mortar of the chimney crown still needs to be checked as well to prevent potential water damage to the house structure.

If your gas fireplace won’t ignite, it is possibly because of a blocked valve that needs to be cleaned, but it can also be due to electrical or gas issues.  In this instance, call your gas company provider first to eliminate any potential gas leaks or gas-related problems, then make sure that any electrical wires and contacts are all in order (you may want to consult an electrician for this).  If you’re still having an issue, call a professional chimney sweep for an inspection and cleaning.  Feel free to call us anyway if you have any questions 916-839-8020.  (In some cases, if the inspection reveals that a gas pipe is malfunctioning, we may recommend you to a professional local plumber).

Fireplace cleaning logs may seem like a good cheap alternative to hiring a professional chimney sweep company, however these logs will only help you to break down some of the creosote, you will still need a professional to make sure that all of the creosote is fully broken down, dislodged from your fireplace walls, and safely removed.  The logs cannot replace a professional inspection and cleaning service, and if done improperly may create additional hazards.

When you burn cleaning logs in your fireplace they create a special chemical reaction that turns the creosote from a sticky tar-like substance into a dry flaky material – this makes it easier for a professional to dislodge the creosote buildup from the walls of your fireplace and safely remove it, but as we said, it’s only a helpful tool, it doesn’t do the job on its own.  And remember that creosote buildup is only one issue that a professional chimney sweep looks to address when performing your annual fireplace and chimney inspection – there are many other details we inspect to be sure you have a safely functioning fireplace and chimney system.  

If you do use fireplace cleaning logs, remember that it’s meant strictly for wood-burning fireplaces, and it’s best to burn them on leftover hot embers. Make sure to remove all the byproducts of burning these logs, together with all the broken-down creosote, before you start your next fire. Consult with a professional chimney sweep for an inspection after you burn the logs (if not instead of burning the logs).  Call us or WhatsApp us with any questions 916-839-8020

Don’t panic – remember that the animal is more afraid of you than you are of it.  Smaller animals will often wonder into uncovered chimneys to try and look for shelter.

Important:  do Not try to smoke the animals out (or insects, whatever the case may be).  Smoking them out will only increase the fire hazard to your home, and you may end up with a more serious problem of having a dead animal stuck inside your chimney (which can be costly to clean out). 

If you have a live animal in your chimney, or an insect infestation, the first thing to do is call animal control to safely remove the animals.  (In our experience, it’s usually birds or birds’ eggs). 

After animal control has safely removed all living creatures, call us to do a thorough cleaning and safety inspection before you light your next fire.

If the animal that you found in your chimney is already dead, simply call us and we will help you to clean and safely remove it.  We will also recommend installing a proper chimney cover to make sure you don’t have any more chimney invasions in  the future (usually we can install a cover for you the same day we come out for the cleaning service).  916-839-8020