Depends what you are burning. If it's natural gas or butane there is usually just a slight white residue which can be cleaned from bottom up or top down using chimney brush and a hepi-vacuum.

Also a physical inspection of the exterior of chimney to check for leaks, spark arrester, condition of pipe, mortar, etc. This usually means going on roof.

If he just did a bottom up cleaning with brush no vacuum or bag, imo, it was probably one of those 79 dollar specials you see advertised in all the papers this time of year. Real quick, 10 minutes and he's on to the next one. All he needs is 9 more and he can make a quick grand in a day.

Google certified chimney sweeps in your area. It won't be 79 dollars, but you will have a copy of an interior camera inspection as well as an exterior inspection. Just a suggestion and my own opinion.

 

Yep, it was a $99 special, though I have two chimneys and it was more than $99 each for some reason. No inspection, so I have no idea if there are any problems with the Chimney. Live and learn.

 

I always clean our chimneys myself and do it from the top down. It's fairly simple as long as you have the correct size brush. Since both of my chimneys [house and shop] are just connected to a wood stove there is no issue with containing the soot. IMO the only benefit of having a pro come in is the camera/inspection he should do. .... and maybe for those that aren't comfortable getting on the roof.

 

Getting on the roof and access to the chimney isn't too much of an issue. I don't know if there is a bend in the chimney which would prevent seeing into the chimney. I'll do the cleaning next time.

Now the question is whether using the fireplace is more for aesthetics or does it really help warm the house given that I have central heating.

 

When I converted from wood to gas, I had the chimney cleaned. Only problem was I have a flat concrete cap on top of both flues. One basement one main level. He had to clean from bottom up since there was no top access. He did utilize a plastic "hood" over the opening and a HEPA vacuum as he cleaned so none of the soot moved through the house.

 

For wood burners, do an intentional chimney fire occasionally and it won't need a brush or any other cleaning. BTY, the dry flakes a brush will remove isn't the problem but any creosote buildup is. The intentional fire takes care of any cresote.

 

Is that a joke? If not, how do you do an "intentional chimney fire"?

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While burning the chimney clean works good in theory there is too much that could go wrong to do it on purpose!

 

Every year I do a bottom-up sweep of my wood stove chimney. Top-down is't a good option with a 9/12 pitch roof, with the chimney extending 8' above the roof line.

If you do it carefully, with a helper holding a trash bag below the chimney, it doesn't get very messy.

The dirtiest part of the works is the stove pipe inside the house. You have to take if off to do the bottom-up anyway, but that gives you a chance to really clean it good with a hand-held wire brush, which does a much better job than the chimney brush.
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The dirtiest part of the works is the stove pipe inside the house

I know what you mean! I'll take my off and bring it outside to clean but no matter how careful I am, somewhere between the stove and the door I'll spill some soot out of it

 

We had ours done two years back because something was blocking the flue and causing the furnace to shut down. As I recall they checked it out from top to bottom and did most of the cleaning from the bottom. The guy had a fiberglass rodder he kept adding to in like 4' increments to brush the sides. They had also scoped it out with a camera to make sure there were no critters or any other obstructions. Kinda pricey but necessary for the furnace warranty work to be done and, the piece of mind. The other guy was on the roof too doing whatever he was doing but, looking around my neighborhood, I noticed a few chimneys where I think it'd be too much of a challenge to do anything from the top so, I think doing it from below is legit.

 

I've never understood the need for chimney sweeping. at least not if you've got a proper stainless liner and burn hot fires all winter. chimney is too hot for creosote to form.

 

A lot depends on the kind of wood you burn. Pine especially is sticky and leaves a lot of "creosoot".

And no matter what kind of wood you burn, if you leave a fire burning overnight, as most people do, obviously the fire doesn't burn all that hot as it dies down.
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A wood stove is more efficient than an open fireplace. If you really want to heat via your fireplace - install an insert [wood stove that fits in the firebox]

 

I watched an excellent Ask This Old House video on that, just yesterday. Waaay more efficient!

 

For wood burners, do an intentional chimney fire occasionally and it won't need a brush or any other cleaning. BTY, the dry flakes a brush will remove isn't the problem but any creosote buildup is. The intentional fire takes care of any cresote.

Another expert that is not an expert! You are one of the people who made me get out of a warm bed, pull on my turnouts and jump in the pumper truck, with my Captain, and look at someones stove pipe or chimney that was on fire. Why would someone delibertly set their house on fire?

There is a reason insurance companies do not like wood stoves/fireplaces. Hire a licensed, insured contractor to clean the chimney. When he shows up, ask to see his license, and insurance coverage. No papers, no work.

 

Has anyone in a fire department ever wondered how thick the creosote coating is on the interior of the chimney/flue that caught fire and roared like a train coming by in close proximity at about 80 mph? Ever wondered how many chimney fires that had just been cleaned by a pro sweep and his dainty brush?



If you haven't digested this yet I'll explain. Attempting to create a chimney fire about once / month,depending on usage, is a preventative measure and if done right there will never be a roaring dangerous chimney fire in that chimney and you can get a good nights sleep.

 

And in an extended power failure, you'll be glad that you have a backup heat source, even if it's not very efficient.

Get a wood stove insert.
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Yes. I forgot about that. Last year I didn't burn it because I was unsure how clean the fireplace was. I had notes to clean it on my calendar and just got around to it. You reminded me why I wanted to have it cleaned in the first place. So it will be used as a backup as there was a short power outage in the area last winter and I was curious what people do if if lasts overnight. There was enough snow on the ground so driving to the store was not possible. I'll stock up a few days worth of wood just in case.

 

And in an extended power failure, you'll be glad that you have a backup heat source, even if it's not very efficient.

Get a wood stove insert.
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I had my fireplace cleaned a few years ago by a company that I had used before and I thought were reputable. They "inspected" the flue and chimney and provided me with a bill and an inspection report which stated that the fireplace was unsafe to use. Their solution to repair it would cost about $3k. I thanked them and sent them on their way.

After they left I took my digital camera and attached it to a long tripod mount and stuck it up in the flue and took a bunch of pics. All of the problems that they found in their report were bogus. I'll never use them again.

Also, since I never really used the fireplace all that much I made an insulated cover that fits over the opening during the winter months. Used to feel a cold draft coming from the fireplace but since I have this cover in place that no longer happens. Pic attached is not mine, but is the same design that I followed.

 

sometimes I crack the ash door to create extra draft. about half those sometimes I forget to close it. if that doesn't clean out the chimney nothing will.

 

Curious why you would need to sweep the flue on a furnace. What fuel does it burn? Is it a dedicated flue, or is it combined with something else. My furnace is natural gas, so I don't think there is any residue that could build up, since combustion produces CO2 and water. Anyway, I never sweep my furnace flue, and no profesional inspector has ever suggested it.

 

In our case it was blockage. The Laws Of Gravity are enforced inside an old chimney and stuff falls down. Could be dead critters or just wear and tear on the inside of the chimney, falling and collecting- and blocking- the flue. Your furnace may not even vent/exhaust into a chimney.

 

I have two traditional brick "open" fireplaces in my tri-level. Burning wood in either one, puts out a pleasant dry heat in that room only, but sucks cold air into the surrounding rooms. I installed a gas fireplace insert in one, it heats that room and parts of the adjoining rooms. With the fan on, it is very warm, perhaps even too warm for that room. During a power outage it will heat that room, sans the fan (no power) very well, and some of the adjoining rooms to a much less warmth.

In the basement room fireplace, I installed a wood burning insert. I have lots of wood to burn, so I have a fire often when the weather cools, late fall and winter. I typically keep it burning for several weeks at a time, unless there is a burn ban. It heats that room very well, perhaps even a bit to hot. I especially like to stoke it at night, and let it burn all night. What this does is "pre-heat" the cold air being sucked into the central heat furnace, so it runs less often, and for less time. I save perhaps 10% every year on my heating. Probably after 20 years, it has paid the installation of the insert. When there is a power outage, (once for 2 weeks, but usually, only a few hours or a day) it is wonderful to have the heat, and it keeps that room toasty warm, and the rest of the house reasonably warmer than outside.

If your only concern is power outages, a better purchase than a fireplace insert would be a gas generator, perhaps whole house, like a Generac, that would allow you to run a gas furnace, and of course your refrigerator and some lights, maybe some electric heaters...etc.

Also remember if you don't have lots of trees that you can "harvest", you'll have to buy wood, which I think is more expensive than natural gas for the BTU's you get.

I don't have any experience with wood stoves, but I'm told they work pretty well heating a room/house, and are way more efficient than a fireplace insert.

 

Oh, that makes sense. I had a similar issue with the plumbing vent. Over 50 years, debri falling into the vent tube eventually caused a blockage in a "long run" drain. But that's another story.