Chimney Sweeping or Chimney Cleaning

Firstly we introduce ourselves so that we can answer any questions you may have. After placing a towel or floor runner down at the door where you would prefer us to enter and exit, we will complete a visual inspection of the appliance.
Most chimneys are cleaned from inside the home. Upon entering your home we are careful to find the best way for us to get equipment and personal in and out of your home. Some space is needed in front of the fireplace to  spread out the tarp that covers the carpet and hearth.  Any special items on the mantel or walls above the fireplace is safe, however if you want to remove anything then please do.  We set up all needed tools and our special  chimney vacuum to aid in dust control. We wear uniforms, booties, gloves and a respirator if required to protect us from harmful creosote, dust and ash in the chimney. The chimneys condition is assessed, noting any problems and then we can proceed with sweeping.
We start by removing the grates and any ash from the firebox. The walls and damper blade  are brushed with a hand brush to remove as much soot and creosote from this area as possible. We remove the damper blade and handle (if possible) to check for rust and missing parts. While sweeping the firebox area we are checking for cracks in brick and missing or severely eroded mortar joints. On "Pre-fab" models fireplaces we are checking for cracks in the back and side refectory panels in the firebox. Some hairline cracks are acceptable and a part of normal operations, however we are looking for larger cracks and gaps that will allow fire to reach the metal box enclosure of the fireplace. This can cause damage to the firebox making it unsafe for use. These panels are replaceable so do not fear. We can most likely find and replace old damaged panel making your fireplace usable again.
On masonry chimneys we reach up inside the smoke chamber area with hand brush to sweep the breast area and the sides where the larger brush misses. Next, we insert a steel wire brush attached to a flexible fiberglass rod and clean the upper smoke chamber area. The brush is pushed up into the flue, working in a scrubbing motion with sections of fiberglass rods added until the brush exits the top of chimney. The process is reversed, and the liner is check for cracks, gaps and missing joints using a spotlight. We clean off debris that has fallen onto the smoke shelf, the damper blade, the handle and cotter pin are put back in place and dust is swept out of firebox. We vacuum off the hearth, and remove all equipment and the tarp from your house, complete the invoice, get payment for the amount due, thank you for the business, and look forward to the next customers dirty chimney. The whole process takes about 1 hour more or less depending on conditions and such.
To schedule a cleaning please call 614-539-4444 and ask for Nicole.