Does your home have a fireplace that you frequently use, and you are wondering if it is time to have your chimney professionally cleaned by a chimney sweep? If so, it will help to know some of the things to consider when determining if hiring a chimney cleaning service is necessary. 

You Can't Remember The Last Time It Was Cleaned

You'll want to stay on top of cleaning your chimney if you use the fireplace regularly, which is why you want to think back to the last time you had it cleaned. If you can't remember when it was, potentially because you've never had it done, then you are likely overdue for a chimney cleaning. It's possible that you meant to have this job done soon after moving into your home but never did it. Now you are really unsure of how long it has been, which means the condition of the inside of the chimney could be very bad.

You Burn A Lot Of Unseasoned Wood

The type of wood that you burn can also lead to needing a chimney cleaning more often. This is often the case with people that burn a lot of unseasoned wood in their fireplace. They may not be aware that this wood often has a lot of moisture content in it, which increases the amount of creosote that is created when it burns. That moisture then allows the creosote to stick to the inside of your chimney where you can't clean it off without professional help. It's a good idea to switch to seasoned wood to create less of a mess in your chimney.

Your Chimney Is On An Outside Wall

Some fireplaces are built on the exterior wall of the home, which means the chimney is on an outside wall as well. However, other chimneys are standalone units in the home, with a chimney that is surrounded by the air in your home. The latter is definitely going to be a chimney that needs to be cleaned less often because that warm air keeps the chimney warm. With a chimney on the exterior wall, it deals with more cold temperatures that are more likely to cause creosote to stick to the side. 

Your Chimney Has Creosote Buildup At The Cap

You are also able to use a ladder to climb up to the top of the chimney and look at the chimney cap. If you can see the creosote buildup around the top of the chimney at the cap, then you know it must be just as bad throughout the entire chimney.

Keep these tips in mind when looking for chimney sweeping services near you.

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