Fireplaces are one of those wonderful features of a home that adds warmth through the winter months. A fireplace that has been properly cared for also adds a beautiful aesthetic in a living room or bedroom. Unfortuantely, due to lack of care, chimney fires are extremely common. There are a few ways to prevent this from happening.

Clean Your Fireplace After Every Use

Every time you’re done with your fireplace, clean up after it. This doesn’t have to be a long and drawn out process. However, you need to brush up all of the soot and ash. You should also break down all of the logs that are inside. Otherwise, you’re going to allow too many chemicals to build up inside of the fireplace and the chimney. It could end up making a mess the next time you start a fire. Harmful chemicals could enter your home, too.

Use a Chimney Sweep

A chimney sweep in Washington DC is able to get a lot further up the chimney than you can. They’ll be able to clean the entire liner, removing soot and chemical buildup. Without being able to get all of this out, it accumulates. It could only be a matter of time before there is too much buildup. The next time you start a fire in your fireplace could be the catalyst to a chimney fire.

Follow Recommended Solutions

If you have a chimney sweep in Washington DC tell you that you need to replace the chimney cap or liner, you will want to listen to their suggestions. They are telling you this to ensure that you don’t encounter problems. Additionally, different types of fireplaces require different types of wood and fire-starting methods. Follow the recommendations based on the fireplace type that you have to avoid fires or other problems.

Chimney fires can end up creating a significant amount of damage. When you want to enjoy the warmth of a fire, regular maintenance is key. Work with a chimney sweep to establish a maintenance schedule that wrks for your home.