Chimney Cleaning Tips

When it comes to spring cleaning your home or just preparing for a long winter, there are many aspects of the home that you clean. However, one of the most important parts that you should remember to clean is the chimney. A dirty chimney can lead to fires, smoke billowing into the home when it is lit, among other things. This is why it is vital that you clean your chimney. Most people recommend cleaning your chimney at least once a year. However, those who utilize their chimney often, may want to consider cleaning more often.

A few tips to keep in mind when you are cleaning your chimney is to first, make sure that you have the proper materials. You are going to need a mask because breathing in all of the soot that is left behind will cause breathing problems and for those that have asthma, this could be their worst nightmare. You will also need goggles to protect your eyes from getting damaged from the soot and debris that you will find. As well as having gloves, a chimney brush, a long handle of some sorts, and some type of plastic so that you can seal the chimney from inside the house, to prevent all that soot from depositing itself onto your furniture and floors.

Another tip to keep in mind is that you are going to want to wear footwear that is not slick on the bottoms since you will be on the roof during the majority of the time that you are cleaning your chimney. Too many times accidents occur simply because the person looses their footing on the roof and falls. This can cause major injuries, as well as death if the person falls from a very high roof.

Remember to be careful of the type of chemicals that you use. Many times people will use a combination of chemicals and from this they will suffer from some breathing problems because when the chemicals mix that produce a toxic gas. This gas not only bothers you, but anyone else who is in the home at the time that you are cleaning the chimney. This means that you should only use chemicals that are approved from your type of chimney and will help aid in the cleaning process.

Above all else, be sure to use the proper safety precautions. This may mean anchoring yourself to the chimney so that in the event you were to trip and begin to fall, at least you would not fall all the way to the ground. Be sure to use a sturdy ladder so that you will not have any injuries occur from the ladder. Also, remember that you should not for any reason try to crawl down the chimney. This is something that is made in to humor on television and movies, however, it is no laughing matter. With all the soot buildup if a person were to get stuck, they could possibly suffer from breathing problems and panic because it is such a tight space full of dust.