Articles - Wellington BBQs & Fire tips

Sweep your chimney once a year

Sweeping your chimney is not only a good way of improving fireplace efficiency but it can often be an insurance requirement.

Burning wood releases gases that can cause deposits to accumulate on the chimney walls, these deposits can cause chimney fires that can quickly spread along the rafters and to the rest of your house.

It is very important to have your chimney swept once a year, in fact, most manufacturers and insurers insist on it for you to meet your obligations under the fire warranty or insurance policy.

Not only is chimney maintenance important to maintain warranties and insurance, but it also increases the life of the fire and flue, and the fireplace will perform better. Fireplaces operate best when they are buring and venting cleanly, the firebox can become smokey and layered in creosote. A dirty fireplace will often leave burned wood odours or leave smoke in the room.

While it's possible to clean your own chimney, a professional chimney sweep will do a  thourough job, often checking the firebox in addition to conducting the clean. Check your insurance to see if a professional sweep is required. Wellington BBQs and Fire can recommend installaters and sweepers in the Wellington region.