Early men believed that fire came as a gift from gods. Today, we all know that fire is a chemical process that happens when oxygen, fuel and heat collide. Fire plays an integral role in our daily lives- from cooking our food, giving us light and keeping as warm at night. But sometimes fire is a traitor and can ruin everything when left unattended.
At home, chimneys - hollow vertical structures that carry out hot gasses and smoke given off by combustion- are often neglected for cleaning. Ideally, chimneys should be cleaned daily or even once a year will do as means of home maintenance and fire safety. Chimneys, when used with wood or coal stoves, if left dirty over time will encourage more soot and creosote formation with a consequent risk of chimney fire.
With technology, modern home chimneys are metal insulated to minimize creosote buildup. However, nothing beats cleaning up the chimney regularly. You may hire a chimney sweep but this may not be practical if you do it daily. Some intend to clean their own chimneys using inexpensive chimney brushes that come in different sizes, shape and features which can be purchased at any local store.
Common shapes of brushes are circle, rectangle, oval, spiral and square or you may prefer to order a customized one. Traditional brushes are often rigid but now, there are poly brushes that can rotate and are flexible enough to go around the bends. Also, consider buying a brush rod that will help you reach other difficult areas of the chimney. Always take into account that in choosing the right chimney brush, you should be familiar to the size and shape of your own chimney. Too small chimney brushes will take you long to finish and large ones may stuck inside.
There are two ways to clean your chimney. You can either accomplish this task inside from the bottom up or from the outside by climbing your way up onto the roof and working downward. The former is more difficult because you may end up catching some dirt falling into your eyes or a stiff neck. Eye protection is absolutely essential, and a dust mask is a good idea as well. Whatever method you want to choose, it is crucial that don't forget to seal the fireplace or cooking stove before cleaning so that soot won't go inside or else you'll end up cleaning the whole house in one day.
After all, it is important the we consider safety first. A couple of bucks for chimney brushes might save your life and your investments.
At home, chimneys - hollow vertical structures that carry out hot gasses and smoke given off by combustion- are often neglected for cleaning. Ideally, chimneys should be cleaned daily or even once a year will do as means of home maintenance and fire safety. Chimneys, when used with wood or coal stoves, if left dirty over time will encourage more soot and creosote formation with a consequent risk of chimney fire.
With technology, modern home chimneys are metal insulated to minimize creosote buildup. However, nothing beats cleaning up the chimney regularly. You may hire a chimney sweep but this may not be practical if you do it daily. Some intend to clean their own chimneys using inexpensive chimney brushes that come in different sizes, shape and features which can be purchased at any local store.
Common shapes of brushes are circle, rectangle, oval, spiral and square or you may prefer to order a customized one. Traditional brushes are often rigid but now, there are poly brushes that can rotate and are flexible enough to go around the bends. Also, consider buying a brush rod that will help you reach other difficult areas of the chimney. Always take into account that in choosing the right chimney brush, you should be familiar to the size and shape of your own chimney. Too small chimney brushes will take you long to finish and large ones may stuck inside.
There are two ways to clean your chimney. You can either accomplish this task inside from the bottom up or from the outside by climbing your way up onto the roof and working downward. The former is more difficult because you may end up catching some dirt falling into your eyes or a stiff neck. Eye protection is absolutely essential, and a dust mask is a good idea as well. Whatever method you want to choose, it is crucial that don't forget to seal the fireplace or cooking stove before cleaning so that soot won't go inside or else you'll end up cleaning the whole house in one day.
After all, it is important the we consider safety first. A couple of bucks for chimney brushes might save your life and your investments.
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