Cleaning chimney not a DIY project

Question: Can I clean my own chimney? I don’t want to spend tons of money and be told I have to make expensive repairs just to use the fireplace.

— Rich C. in Portland, Maine

Answer: Your reluctance is understandable, because the chimney cleaning industry, like other contractor services, has suffered in recent years from scams. Unscrupulous scammers often target new homeowners or seniors, advertising unbelievably low prices for a chimney cleaning. They then sock the homeowner, after a cursory (or even no) inspection of their chimney, with a huge cleaning and repair bill.

Still, if you want to safely use your fireplace, an annual cleaning and inspection is extremely important. Contact more than one chimney cleaning service (three or more if possible) and get a price quote. Don’t agree to any work until you’ve seen estimates from a few services. Don’t be pressured into a sale you’re not ready for.

Your home’s furnace is another item that should get a checkup from a heating professional. Again, if the contractor inspecting your furnace says repair work needs to be done, get multiple estimates before agreeing to anything.

Those concerns aside, you can do some basic inspection and maintenance tasks yourself. These don’t replace the contractor, but help you get familiar with your house’s heating systems.

You can visually inspect the firebox and damper, and check the bottom part of the chimney flue. Open the damper and use a flashlight to look up the flue, checking for debris like leaves or nests, as well as creosote buildup. This black, sticky gunk is extremly flammable and is one of the things professional sweeps take care of. It’s also difficult to remove without the right equipment.

Clean the damper and firebox by removing ashes and unburnt wood (when they’re fully cooled) and brushing ashes and residue from the visible parts of the fireplace.

Get ready to turn on the heating system now, as well. Buy replacement filters and schedule the furnace’s annual inspection. Clean dust and debris from the registers and the air intake cover.

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