Is Your Chimney Ready for Santa? A Last-Minute Safety Checklist

Christmas is just around the corner, and you want to make your chimney as hospitable as possible to the jolly old elf from the north. You don’t want anything that will hinder the man with all the toys from making his annual visit. So, is your chimney ready for Santa? A last-minute safety checklist below will ensure everything is in order.

Make Sure to Have Your Chimney and Fireplace Inspected and Cleaned Before the Big Night 

To ensure the big man doesn’t end up with a dirty suit when he slides down the chimney, your chimney and fireplace must be inspected and cleaned by a professional chimney sweep. If you are unaware, there is an unseen process that occurs each time you burn wood in your fireplace. Each time you burn wood in your fireplace, a flammable substance known as creosote collects on the interior of your chimney. If ignored, not only will creosote buildup leave old Saint Nick soiled, but it will also most certainly cause a chimney fire. 

There are other unseen issues Santa could run into, such as a blockage in your chimney. Things like bird nests and clumps of debris can block the chimney. That is why it is essential to have your fireplace and chimney inspected to ensure there are no blockages so Santa can make his delivery and your family is safe from toxic carbon monoxide flowing back into your home instead of up the chimney.

During an inspection, an experienced chimney sweep may identify structural issues that threaten the chimney’s integrity and address them before they become a hazard. One of the most important issues that happens to your chimney is weathering; if it your chimney lacks a chimney cap (don’t worry, they don’t impede Santa) or isn’t maintained, it could develop cracks from freeze-thaw cycles, which means during freezing temperatures the bricks and mortar in your chimney expand and contract, creating cracks, or broken and loose bricks, which will lead to the collapse of your chimney, which will be a problem any time of year. 

What Can You Do to Prepare Your Fireplace and Chimney for Santra?

Remove Ashes

Santa doesn’t want to create a cloud of dust as he lands in your fireplace. Make sure that old ashes are cleared. Please don’t attempt to clean your fireplace until at least 24 hours after it was last used, then clean out the ashes. There is a possibility that hot embers are still under the ash; no one wants a trip to the ER right before Christmas Eve. A metal pan and a shovel are a conventional way to clear ashes from your fireplace; for a more modern method, use a shop-vac to gather all the ashes. 

In Short

So, if you want Santa’s visit this year to be as smooth as possible, do more than leave out milk and cookies; have your chimney inspected by a qualified chimney sweep service.

Let Chimney Solutions Prepare Your Chimney for the Holidays

Let our CISA-certified chimney sweeps inspect your fireplace and chimney before Santa’s big night. We will set a time to inspect and repair your fireplace. You can trust us to identify any issues with your chimney and address them promptly. So, if you want a clean, safe chimney for the holidays, we are the clear choice for Chattanooga.