Q. How often should I have my chimney cleaned?

The National Fire Protection Association standard 211 says, "Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs shall be done if necessary." This is the national safety standard and is the correct way to approach the problem. It takes into account the fact that even if you don't use your chimney much, animals may build nests in the flue or there may be other types of deterioration that could make the chimney unsafe to use.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that open masonry fireplaces should be cleaned at 1/4" of sooty buildup, and sooner if there is any glaze present in the system. Factory-built fireplaces should be cleaned when any appreciable buildup occurs. This is considered to be enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire capable of damaging the chimney or spreading to the home.

Remember all chimneys should be inspected at least once a year.

Q. My fireplace smokes. What can I do?

There are a multitude of reasons for smokey fireplaces . Too great to include here. We have an entire section on this below.

Q. My fireplace stinks, especially in the summer. What can I do?

The smell is due to creosote deposits in the chimney, a natural byproduct of wood burning. The odor is usually worse in the summer when the humidity is high and the air conditioner is turned on. A good cleaning will help but usually won't solve the problem completely. There are commercial chimney deodorants that work pretty well, and many people have good results with baking soda or even kitty litter set in the fireplace. The real problem is the air being drawn down the chimney, a symptom of overall pressure problems in the house. Some make-up air should be introduced somewhere else in the house. A tight sealing, top mounted damper will also reduce this air flow coming down the chimney.

Q. When I build a fire in my upstairs fireplace, I get smoke from the basement fireplace.

This has become quite a common problem in modern air tight houses where weather proofing has sealed up the usual air infiltration routes. The fireplace in use exhausts household air until a negative pressure situation exists. If the house is fairly tight, the simplest route for makeup air to enter the structure is often the unused fireplace chimney. As air is drawn down this unused flue, it picks up smoke that is exiting nearby from the fireplace in use and delivers the smoke to the living area. The best solution is to provide makeup air to the house so the negative pressure problem no longer exists, thus eliminating not only the smoke problem, but also the potential for carbon monoxide to be drawn back down the furnace chimney. A secondary solution may be to install a top mount damper on the fireplace that is used the least.
Another cause could be due to a breach (crack, missing mortar or brick, or a hole) inside the chimney which is most common in older or damaged chimneys.
If pressure isn't the problem in the home we recommend a smoke test or an internal camera inspection in the chimney.

Q. I heat with gas. Should this chimney be checked too?

Yes! Although gas is generally a clean burning fuel, the chimney can become non-functional and unsafe from bird nests or other debris blocking the flue. Modern furnaces can also cause many problems with the average flues intended to vent the older generation of furnaces.
Chimneys venting a gas furnace, fireplace, insert or log set should be inspected at least once a year.