Chimney sweeping is the most important preventative maintenance a wood stove user performs. Burning wood inevitably creates ash and creosote that congeals on the inside of the chimney as the hot combustion rises through the flue, creating a clogging, highly flammable coating that must be removed periodically. Chimneys should be cleaned at least once a year, preferably more often, particularly if you burn resinous soft woods, like we do.
Time to clean the chimney. Ya think? Luckily, this was the worst of it by far (Photo: Mark Zeiger).
Chimney cleaning is a tough, unpleasant job. This is why so many house fires are chimney fires—it’s just too easy to procrastinate; this is a deadly mistake, but one, I hate to admit, that we make often. Continue reading