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I'd prefer to clean the chimney myself and not get on the roof. Is it possible to do both? What tools do I need and how do I protect the surrounding floor and furniture? Thanks for your ideas.
I'd prefer to clean the chimney myself and not get on the roof. Is it possible to do both? What tools do I need and how do I protect the surrounding floor and furniture? Thanks for your ideas.
Come on! Clean chimney yourself and not get on roof, why? So you can track down those brushes that are as long as the house is tall? And get a face full of soot?
Get on the phone and you'll see that renting that stuff costs more than hiring a service.
I'd prefer to clean the chimney myself and not get on the roof. Is it possible to do both? What tools do I need and how do I protect the surrounding floor and furniture? Thanks for your ideas.
Yes- start a roaring hot fire in the fireplace, maybe toss on some accelerant to get those flames above the smoke shelf.. It'll get clean when the creosote in the chimney burns off, lol.
I am a big fan of DIY, but this is one area where it is simply not worth it to try to do it yourself. It is a horrible messy job and can be dangerous, especially without the right tools. I suspect that if you do it wrong and end up just loosening up the crud instead of removing it, you could set your house on fire the next time you use the fireplace.
There are some things that they sell to put in the fire that supposedly remove the build up in the fireplace. Anyone know about these? They sound dangerous to me, because they could end up causing the crud to drip down into the fire and start a chimney fire.
The stuff you put in fires to clean the chimney IS dangerous and ineffective. On another forum, someone tells of having a chimney fire after putting one in the fireplace. The chemicals are salts, and can damage liners if they were ever to get past the creosote (which they don't).
I played with DIY then hired someone to do it, but they did not say when we have to have them come back. In fact, I think that they are out of business.
Our chimneys are masonry (brick, but i think that they have a concrete lining). We burn only hardwood (ash, black walnut, apple, oak, a bit of maple, and once in a while a little elm or cottonwood - those are soft, but we use only a tiny bit of them). We use one fireplace about 450 hours a year and the other maybe 60 hours a year. The chimneys could be anywhere from 170 to 50 years old.
How often do we need to have the chimneys cleaned?
Cost me around $100 to have it done by a professional who knew what he was doing and guaranteed his work. That was a three story house. I wouldn't climb on the roof for that kind of money.
I had mine done months before the cold hit. Better price, better service, better everything. It hurt to spend money on the fireplace in September, but it was done and ready when I needed it.. Think ahead next time, save money and chasse...
Don't even consider doing it yourself...
Cost me around $100 to have it done by a professional who knew what he was doing and guaranteed his work.
Plus, some these guys are characters, with the chimney sweep garb and behaviors. Pretty interesting to watch. Some video the inside of your chimney - nice to have if you ever have to talk to your insurance company.
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Are you joking?!?
