We know as well as anyone, a wood-burning fireplace is one of life’s best pleasures. There are so many joys about having a crackling fireplace right in the center of your living space. Almost everyone knows a chimney is a necessary part of a wood-burning fireplace system, but do you know what the chimney actually does?

Not only does a chimney direct smoke and combustion byproducts outside your home, but it also creates a circulation of airflow that is necessary to fuel the fire. If a blockage or damage occurs unseen in your chimney it will disrupt the natural flow of air and can cause a poor draft, a chimney fire, or cause more permanent damage to your home. 

Below is a list of things to look out for when getting maintenance for your chimney.

Small chimney Fires are probably more common than you think. Often they occur without your knowledge, but that doesn’t mean they still aren’t damaging to your home. 

Signs your chimney had a fire could be a strong odor, cracked bricks, loose mortar, hearing popping or cracking sounds, or perhaps most obviously, thicker smoke or flames coming from the top of your chimney.

The most common cause of chimney fires is creosote buildup.

Creosote is the result of oils in firewood that aren’t completely burned off in the combustion process and turn into an acidic residue as it comes in contact with the cool air of the chimney and creates a condensation made of water and combustion chemicals. 

Creosote starts as a flaky substance that can be brushed off. But when it builds up more after repeated fires, it turns into a tar-like substance that needs to be removed with scrapers. If the Creosote is not taken care of it will eventually harden and become incredibly hard to remove. This is why it is essential to get your chimney regularly cleaned. 

Ideally, the spring season, right after you have finished the fireplace season is the best time to get your chimney serviced. The autumn is typically the busiest day for chimney maintenance because people put the fireplace out of their minds as soon as the weather starts to warm. But getting service in the spring will give you peace of mind, a clean airflow for the summer, and you’ll already be prepared for the next fire season.

The chimney is meant to deliver harmful toxins from the fire out of your home, and if there is any sort of blockage in the chimney these toxins will not be able to be quickly pushed out of your home.

Common substances that build up in chimneys include soot, creosote, leaves, twigs, bird’s nests, or anything else that could potentially be blown over your chimney. Soot alone can block up to a quarter of the airflow in the chimney, which will cause fires or deterioration of the structure as a whole. 

Blockages in your chimney can easily be cleaned out with regular check-ups, or the installation of a chimney cap. A chimney cap is a protective cover placed over the top opening of the chimney to prevent rain, snow, ice, debris, and small animals from getting into the chimney. It is typically a mesh ring with a cap on top made out of copper or steel. You can find chimney caps in a variety of styles to match the design of your house. 

The most common type of chimney liner is made of clay. Whereas clay lines are very affordable, they are easily damaged. Water vapor from the creosote will cause the clay to flake. These flakes will contribute to the blockage inside the chimney along with soot and creosote. 

Replacing your liner with a stainless steel option is one of the easiest ways to fix this issue and ensure the durability and longevity of your chimney. 

Odors are a very noticeable issue that can be solved with regular chimney maintenance. Oftentimes any odors coming from your chimney are exacerbated by water vapor. Part of the formation of creosote is coming into contact with water vapor, and the build-up of this substance will create odor, even when a fire is not burning. 

This is another reason why it is a great idea to get your chimney serviced in the spring. It will prevent odor from entering your home through the rest of the year when the chimney is not in use, allowing clean airflow through the summer months. 

Another place soot builds up is the firebox, fireplace doors, and it may not hurt to give your firebox a little tender love and care. Finally, if you notice an excess of odor during the burning of your fire, and have already had your chimney inspected and cleaned it might not hurt to look into getting a new kind of firewood. 

First up, every house especially houses with a fireplace, should have a carbon monoxide detector. CO is a colorless and odorless gas, and if there is a leak in your home, you likely won’t know until it is too late. It is good advice for anyone to check your carbon monoxide detector regularly and replace the batteries seasonally. 

Another way to prevent Carbon Monoxide poisoning is to ensure your damper is in working order. Make sure it is checked for damage or warping. Remember the damper must be opened any time you have a fire in your fireplace. Open the damper just before you start the fire, and leave it open until the fire is completely out, and all the coals from the fire have cooled. 

Finally, per the running theme of this article, regular maintenance of the chimney is important to ensure there is no blockage or buildup of soot, creosote in your chimney that will block the CO byproduct from exiting your home. 

You should constantly be on the lookout for any visible damage to your chimney and fireplace that could be an indication of a larger problem. Damage to your fireplace is most commonly found in hard-to-see areas, or from a small chimney fire, you were never aware occurred. 

Broken tiles, cracked chimney liners, a warped damper, will all inhibit your chimney from functioning properly and can lead to more build-up or fire which will inevitably damage your chimney more. If you have a clay chimney liner an easy way to prevent damage is to replace your liner with a stainless steel liner, which is more durable against water vapor and creosote. 

We would love to help you ensure your fireplace is in working condition ready for the next time you light up. Call 866-848-3473, or send us an email, to schedule your fireplace service, inspection, and cleaning. We will send an expert to inspect the chimney, clean the fireplace, check for gas leaks or any other repair needs, answer your questions, and much more! For more information browse our section or check out the other articles in our Learning Center.

• How to Convert a Wood-Burning Fireplace to Gas
• Vented vs Ventless Gas Logs
• Fireplace Chimney’s Explained