Sweep your chimney every year to ensure it is kept clean and safe and at the same time Get your woodburner checked over to ensure it's in top condition.
Why Chimney Sweeping is Important
All firewood is not created equal! When it comes to choosing logs for firing up your woodburning stove quality is key for keeping it working cleanly and efficiently. The main thing to know is that the dirty word for woodburner logs is “moisture”.
Wet wood is a big no-no for woodburning stoves – the wetter the wood the worse it is. Burning logs with a high moisture content will produce a heavy black smoke that contains soot and creosote, which not only creates an ugly black void in your burner but will very quickly cover the glass with a black residue that is also deposited in the chimney and flue, increasing the risk of a chimney fire.
For optimum heat output and a good clean burn you need logs with a moisture content of less than 20% – between 10% and 20% is ideal (less than 10% and the log will burn away rapidly).
Considering that a log from a recently felled tree would naturally have a moisture content of 60% (nearly a pint of water in every kilo of wood) that means it would have a lot of drying out to do before being suitable fuel for a woodburner.
The warranty on your woodburner may be void if you do not sweep your chimney every year and have a receipt to prove it.
HETAS encourage having your chimney swept at least twice a year when burning wood or at least once a year when burning smokeless fuels. The best times to have your chimney swept are just before the start of the heating season and after your stove has not been used over a prolonged period.
Professional Chimney Sweeps
The best time to arrange to have your chimney swept is towards the end of summer, ready for the cold temperatures ahead, and probably again towards the end of the “heating season” if you’ve used your stove a lot during the winter. Your professional chimney sweep is the best one to advise you on cleaning frequency, depending on the type of stove, the fuel you use and various other factors.
Check your stove warranty as some stove manufacturers will require a proof of sweeping every year to maintain the warranty.
Remember your chimney sweep is more than just a jolly face in a top hat bearing a bunch of brushes! He/she is a knowledgeable source of advice and information about all aspects of combustion and emissions, not to mention chimney and flue engineering, and can alert you to any existing or potential problems with your chimney, such as cracks or corrosion. A good sweep will also be able to ensure the integrity of the rope seals on your wood burner, the efficacy of chimney cowls and placement of Carbon Monoxide alarms.
It’s wise to be discerning about who you trust the task of chimney cleaning to. A proper professional sweep will be able to show you credentials and testimonials, be adequately trained and approved or registered by HETAS and/or one of the professional bodies like the National Association of Chimney Sweeps.
HETAS encourage having your chimney swept at least twice a year when burning wood or at least once a year when burning smokeless fuels. The best times to have your chimney swept are just before the start of the heating season and after your stove has not been used over a prolonged period.
Know When to Call a Chimney Sweep
If you’ve missed out on having regular visits from a chimney sweep, or not sure when the chimney or flue in the building you are occupying was last swept, then you could have a rude reminder of the urgent need for a clean sweep if you notice any of the following warning signs:
- A bad smell, even when there is no fire burning
- Signs of tar accumulated around the damper or entrance to the flue
- Soot falling back into the stove
- A fire that is struggling to burn well
- Birds frequently atop the chimney, or a scratching sound that may indicate a nest.
It’s time to call in a chimney sweep, who will arrive with an arsenal of equipment, able to deal with anything that is obstructing your chimney or flue. There is usually no need to access the roof because chimneys are swept from the fireplace. Chimney sweeps take great care not to leave any mess behind them, and are usually registered as waste carriers so they can take away soot or any other waste for safe disposal.
HETAS encourage having your chimney swept at least twice a year when burning wood or at least once a year when burning smokeless fuels. The best times to have your chimney swept are just before the start of the heating season and after your stove has not been used over a prolonged period.
our Recommended installers can provide a yearly sweep and service for your woodburner . failure to sweep your chimney every year may invalidate your stove warranty.
