You can be confident that CSIA-certified chimney sweeps will take care of your home, and it helps if you know how to prepare for your chimney sweep appointment. The cozy fires you enjoy in winter are easy to take for granted, but the reality is that ongoing chimney maintenance is essential. In addition to annual chimney inspections, routine chimney cleaning is needed to ensure home safety. Dirty chimneys cause thousands of home fires every year. The following are tips to prepare for your appointment with a chimney sweep.
Before the chimney sweep expert arrives, be sure that at least 24 to 48 hours have passed since the last fire went out. The interior masonry needs to cool down. If you want your ashes to recycle for your garden, scoop out the ashes before the chimney sweep arrives. Otherwise, the ashes will be disposed of. For a chimney sweep to perform the work, the fireplace must be cool to the touch.
Clear the Fireplace Accessories and Firebox It will help if the firebox is empty before the arrival of the chimney sweep. The remaining logs should be completely cooled and removed along with the grate and fireplace tools. If there are decorations in your fireplace, remove them.
The fireplace mantel is the entire frame the surrounds the fireplace opening, though most people consider the mantel to be the shelf above the hearth. If you have decorations on your mantel shelf, it’s best to remove them so that they are not accidentally knocked off while the chimney sweep is working.
Make an unobstructed path from the door to the fireplace that is wide enough for the chimney sweep to haul in the equipment to be used for the chimney cleaning or inspection procedures. Remove tripping hazards such as toys, furniture, etc. Furniture should be pulled away from the area, as well.
Professional chimney sweeps use drop cloths and have other methods to stop the mess from the chimney from getting inside your home interior. It is still a good idea to cover nearby furniture as protection from soot particles, dust, and creosote residue that may be in the air.
If you have any pets in the home that could possibly bite or in some way interfere with the chimney sweep’s work, secure them somewhere inside or outside your home until the work has been completed and the chimney sweep has left.
Have Questions ReadyIf you want to tell the chimney technician about any chimney or fireplace concerns you may have, mention them when he or she arrives. Also, be prepared to ask any questions you may have after a chimney inspection and learning about any chimney damage that exists.
In Alpharetta GA, Atlanta, and the surrounding area, Chimney Solutions provides trusted chimney sweep services. If you have any questions, such as how to prepare for a chimney sweep appointment, give us a call at
770-255-1300.
