Santa's Friend Chimney Service Blog

Getting Your Wood Stove Ready During Summer

Keep Your Wood Stove Clean

Summer is the time to get your wood stove ready cooler nights. During the seasons of heavier use, your wood stove should be cleaned out at least once a month. However, in warmer months, it is time to schedule a certified sweep to take a look at the parts of your stove you aren’t trained to inspect or clean. An unclean wood stove is not only messier and hazardous, it is also inefficient.

Keep Wood Stove Clean – Jackson MS – Santa’s Friend Chimney Service

Let’s start with the most important reason why you need to regularly clean your wood stove and chimney — safety. According to the EPA nearly 7% of house fires are a result of creosote buildup in your chimney. Creosote is the unburned remainder of gases and is highly flammable. If you burn anything other than dry, seasoned wood, you increase the amount and the frequency with which the creosote accumulates. This includes any type of paper. A certified sweep will let you know if the layer of creosote in your chimney must be removed. Believe it or not, any more than one-quarter inch is perilous.

Now you are ready to clean the stove…what do you need? Here is a good checklist:

• A drop cloth or newspapers to protect your floor.
• Old newspapers or paper towels for glass cleaning
• Gloves to protect your hands while cleaning.
• Small brush for ash
• Small ash shovel to scoop out the ashes.
• Metal ash container to collect the ashes in for disposal later. Make sure the ash is well-cooled before removal.
• Spray bottle containing a vinegar, water, and soap solution, two parts water to one part vinegar with a squeeze of dish soap.
• Dust mask to protect yourself from breathing in ash.
• A fireplace ash vacuum is great, but not necessary. A household vacuum isn’t recommended. You can use fireplace ash in your garden if distributed evenly and lightly.

Hiring a sweep to clean out your stove pipe will ensure that creosote doesn’t become a fire or health hazard for your family. Remember to always follow any directions provided with your wood stove. Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand for emergencies. You are on your way to toasty rooms in winter and a worry-free mind.

Chimney Fire Facts

We always hear about the romantic features of a chimney as well as the heating benefits when buying a home. What the real estate agents or existing homeowners do not tell you is about the dangers of fires. Now, this is not to scare you away from buying a home with a chimney or in having one installed; you just need to be aware of these dangers and how to prevent a fire from happening out of sheer ignorance.

Creosote buildup is one of the leading causes of chimney fires. Wood burning fireplaces can generate significant creosote buildup within the lining of the chimney. It only takes one eighth of an inch to be considered dangerous. This is a highly combustible material, and it is one of the main reasons we recommend an annual chimney inspection and cleaning.

When purchasing a home, there are several signs for which you can look to see if there was previously a chimney fire. You, or a professional, should look for these signs prior to purchase, as they could result in costly repairs in order to operate the fireplace safely again.

1. Honey-combed creosote buildup
2. Cracked flue tiles or tiles that have large chunks missing
3. A discolored chimney cap
4. If the TV antenna or satellite dish is located close to the chimney, check for discoloration
5. Creosote flakes found inside of fireplace or in surrounding area outside of home (they may have been discharged from the chimney and carried by the wind)
6. Warped metal damper
7. Discolored or cracked masonry work on exterior of chimney

If you see any of these signs, call a certified chimney sweep immediately to have the chimney professionally inspected. There are multiple levels of inspections related to potential problems. In this case, you may have the upper tier of inspections to outline and problems as well as a plan of action to have the chimney repaired.