Three Reasons to Avoid Chimney Cleaning Logs

Homeowner’s everywhere are intrigued by the idea of an easy fireplace cleaning solution! You can purchase a variety of  chemical products for suppressing fires, starting fires, and cleaning your chimney of creosote.  Fire starters and fire extinguishers are great tools to have, but be weary of logs claiming to clean your chimney flue of creosote! We will talk about three reasons you should stay away from chimney cleaning logs.

• They Don’t Replace a Chimney Sweep
• They Don’t Remove Creosote
• They Increase Risk of A Chimney Fire

Chimney cleaning logs might have good reviews online, but they are not a true chimney cleaning solution.  At Chimney Solutions Indiana we have the solution for all of your chimney concerns, including inspections, cleaning and repair!

They don’t replace professional chimney sweeps

Many homeowners might assume their chimneys are clean because they’re using chimney cleaning logs. But treating these logs as a replacement for professional services is very dangerous.  Even the Creosote Sweeping Log website itself mentions the CSIA standard for annual chimney inspections to check for blockages and structural damage. If you neglect your routine maintenance, including chimney sweeping services, your chimney will be at higher risk for damage, leaks, chimney fires and more! Also homeowner’s insurance will not cover damage unless you have your chimney system inspected and maintained by a professional.

They do not remove creosote completely

Creosote is a natural byproduct of fire!  It clings to the flue of your chimney until it is removed by a chimney sweep. Chimney Cleaning logs claim to work my using minerals that react with creosote, causing it to fall down the flue and into your fireplace. Then you should be able to remove the creosote from your fireplace. This never removes all of the creosote from your chimney flue and may be harmful to the health of your family!

A much better and safer option is to only burn seasoned firewood in your fireplace! This will limit the amount of creosote produced and make it easier for the professionals to remove during your annual chimney cleaning service.

Scheduling a routine sweep to remove soot and creosote is the best way to avoid a dangerous level of creosote buildup. When Chimney Solutions in Indiana cleans your chimney we use special tools and brushes to remove the soot and creosote from the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, and flue. This can not be properly done with a chimney cleaning log.

Increased Risk of Chimney Fires

Since you are not removing creosote with the cleaning logs, you are at risk for a buildup! A big concern when you allow creosote to build up in a chimney flue is a chimney fire. Creosote, due to its oily nature, is highly flammable! A chimney fire can be relatively small and go out on its own before it’s noticed.  But they can also be major, causing serious damage to your home.

Professional chimney sweeping is the only method of creosote removal recognized by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and other fire safety and hearth organizations. It is the only sure fire way that you are making sure your fireplace and chimney are running safe and efficiently!

Contact the Experts!

To find out what else you can do for the best fire possible, click here. You can also call and speak with one of our chimney and fire experts at your convenience at 463-223-9217 or request your chimney sweep using our online scheduling tool.