Signs your chimney needs sweeping
Most chimney problems announce themselves well before they become dangerous. If you know what to look and smell for, you can book a sweep at the right time instead of waiting for a smoky living room in the middle of winter.
1. Fires are hard to start or keep going
A healthy flue draws combustion air up and away, feeding the flames. When soot and creosote narrow the passage, the draw weakens and fires sulk, smoke and go out. If you are using the same wood and technique as always but the fire behaves worse, the flue is the prime suspect.
2. Smoke spills back into the room
Smoke in the room instead of up the chimney is the clearest sign of a draw problem. A blocked or badly narrowed flue leaves the smoke nowhere else to go. This is worth acting on promptly, as breathing wood smoke indoors is unpleasant and unhealthy.
3. Strong smoky smells
A fireplace that smells strongly of smoke even when it is not lit — especially on damp or windy days — usually has a heavy coating of creosote in the flue. Downdraughts push the smell back down into the house.
4. Visible soot around the opening
Black staining creeping out around the firebox opening, on the mantel or on nearby walls shows that smoke is not clearing properly. Wipe it and it comes back: the cause is in the flue, not on the surface.
5. It has been over a year
Even a well-behaved fireplace builds up deposits with every burn. A fireplace used through a Canterbury winter benefits from a sweep at least once a year. If you cannot remember the last one, it is due.
What to do next
Spot any of these signs? Call Allan Cleaning Services on 03 980 4488 to arrange a professional chimney clean in Christchurch.