One of the most important ways to keep your fireplace and chimney working safely and properly is to have your chimney professionally swept and inspected by a certified chimney sweep once a year. At Old Dominion Chimneys, our certified chimney sweeps will guarantee that your fireplace and chimney will not pose any hazards when you enjoy a fire. One of the main hazards that we take care of is removing creosote, a highly flammable compound that forms naturally during the combustion process of burning wood. Creosote sticks to the interior walls of a chimney and can accumulate into large deposits that could lead to a chimney fire. Our sweeps take care to remove every piece of creosote from the walls of your chimney to reduce the risk of it igniting a chimney fire. You may have seen chimney cleaning logs that claim to remove and reduce the buildup of creosote from chimneys and wondered if you could use them instead of scheduling your annual chimney sweeping. We would like to tell you why the CSIA says that these chimney cleaning logs are no substitute for a professional chimney sweeping performed by a certified chimney sweep.

Do chimney cleaning logs work at all?Historic Chimney Restoration Image - Harrisonburg VA - Old Dominion Chimneys

Through catalytic action that takes place when the logs are burned, chimney cleaning logs do remove some of the creosote from the walls of chimneys; however, this process can lead to dangerous hazards.

What kinds of hazards could occur from using chimney cleaning logs?

Since this product uses chemicals to work, the CSIA recommends that chimney cleaning logs should only be used under the supervision of a chimney professional. As the logs burn, pieces of creosote will flake off and fall down the chimney. Since creosote is so flammable, there is the possibility that pieces could ignite on the way down the chimney and start a chimney fire. The creosote that is removed does not really leave the chimney as the pieces end up landing on the smoke shelf. These pieces also present a fire hazard whenever you use your fireplace.

Why are these logs not a substitute for a professional chimney sweeping?

Even though chimney cleaning logs do remove a portion of creosote from chimneys, they cannot remove all of it completely. As mentioned above, creosote remains on the smoke shelf after using these logs. The certified chimney sweeps at Old Dominion Chimneys will remove creosote from your chimney as well as any debris that could be blocking your chimney. We will also perform a professional chimney inspection to check for damage and any needed repairs. You will be sure that your chimney will work correctly and safely after our services.

Have you had your annual chimney sweeping done this year? If not, contact us at Old Dominion Chimneys to schedule an appointment today.