Why Sweep?

A dirty chimney with only a quarter inch of soot contains the highly flammable substance called creosote. A hot fire around 900 degrees F. or an innocent, errant spark from your cozy woodstove or fireplace could easily ignite this substance into a roaring chimney fire - a terrifying disaster which killed almost 1,000 people last year and destroyed over 180 million dollars in property. At the height of a chimney fire, the creosote can burn at temperatures exceeding 2000 degrees F. Flames and flying embers can easily land on the roof and cause the flue to crack or collapse thus causing the interior walls of your house to burst into flames.

Getting Rid of Creosote

Creosote in chimneys comes in several stages. In its flaky, soot form (1st degree), it is easily brushed away leaving safe and clean flue walls. When it appears as hard, brittle deposits (2nd degree), our extra efforts in brushing will remove most of the buildup. But the nasty glazed variety (3rd degree) is truly the most dangerous form, and the most difficult to remove from your home's wood burning system. And until recently, glazed creosote was almost impossible to remove in many instances.

There is now a product available for removing glazed creosote. It's called TSR, or third stage remover. If required, we will apply TSR, then the chimney must sit for at least 24 hours to dry. Once the chimney has dried, we will come back and brush away the residue. More than one application may be required.

Call us today for an inspection. We will assess what must be done to protect you and your family, then we will do whatever is necessary to assure your safety and give you peace of mind.