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Chimney Services Blog

The Dangers of Not Cleaning Your Chimney

With the temperatures beginning to drop here on the east coast it’s tempting to build that first fire in the fireplace for some extra warmth, glow, and ambiance in your home. But before you build that first fire, it is essential to make sure your chimney is clean and clear. Not maintaining a clean chimney can be dangerous for your home. Let’s look at why not cleaning your chimney can be a recipe for disaster.

The Dangers of Not Cleaning Your Chimney

Fire Hazard

One of the biggest dangers of an unclean chimney is house fires. Thousands of house fires occur each year because of improperly maintained chimneys and fireplaces. When your chimney has a buildup of creosote from repeated use, it can easily catch fire and lead to disaster. In addition to creosote buildup, fires can be caused by debris in the chimney, such as bird nests, and fallen leaves/branches, etc. Having a thorough chimney cleaning and fireplace inspection can prevent fires and save lives.

Toxic Buildup

The creosote buildup mentioned above can also pose a hazard to your health because toxic chemicals build up in the creosote, and can be potentially inhaled by you and your loved ones. Creosote gathers in your chimney and limits the airflow in the chimney, compounding the problem as good airflow helps prevent the buildup of creosote in the first place. Going into the cooler season with an already dirty chimney can spell disaster. Likewise, cleaning the chimney and removing this creosote buildup can be a hazardous job, so hiring a professional chimney sweeping service is a wise idea.

Carbon Monoxide

When creosote builds up in your chimney and reduces airflow, it also prevents the carbon monoxide generated by your fire from leaving through the chimney as designed. Having carbon monoxide backing into your home through the fireplace and chimney can be disastrous. In addition, things blocking your chimney, such as bird nests or debris, can also cause carbon monoxide to back up into your home.

If you have a fireplace in your home that hasn’t been cleaned in a while, it is essential you have it and the chimney cleaned prior to your first fire this season. The hazards of a dirty chimney are nothing to be taken lightly, and sadly thousands of people are affected by fires and carbon monoxide poisoning each year because of a lack of fireplace maintenance. For chimney cleaning service in Baltimore, call Town and Country today for an inspection and routine cleaning.

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