A chimney is an essential part of your home. It not only provides you with a way to heat and cook, but it also creates a focal point in your home. However, if you don’t clean it regularly, it can become clogged with soot and ash.
If this happens, you’ll have difficulty getting a fire started.
Fortunately, there are some things that you can burn in your fireplace or wood stove that will burn hot enough to clean out the soot and ash that has built up over time without the need of hiring chimney sweep services. Here are some things that work well for this purpose.
Newspaper
When was the last time you read yesterday’s newspaper? Paper burns very hot, and the ink combines with carbon from burning wood chips to create a clean burn without producing too much ash or smoke.
This makes newspaper an ideal fuel for cleaning out your fireplace when you want something that will leave little residue behind once it’s burned up completely.
Pine cones
Pine cones are a great way to prepare your wood-burning fireplace for the upcoming winter. Pine cones are dry and will burn hot and fast, making them perfect for cleaning your chimney.
The best way to use pine cones is to open your fireplace damper and place them directly into the fireplace. You can also put them in paper bags or wrap them in newspaper before placing them in the fireplace.
As soon as the pine cones start to smoke and catch fire, you’ll know they’re ready to be thrown out of the fireplace. However, before they do that, they can be used as kindling for starting fires in other areas of your home or cabin.
Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds, in particular, make an excellent fire starter because they’re lightweight and have a low moisture content. They also have a high oil content that helps them burn slowly and steadily.
If you have lots of coffee grounds left over from morning brews, you can mix them with sawdust or wood shavings. This combination is especially effective when using wood as the primary fuel source for your fire.
Leaves, grass clippings, and twigs
Before trying anything else, make sure you have a good supply of dry leaves, grass clippings, or twigs available before trying anything else. This is because you want something that will burn hot enough to heat the smoke chamber walls and cause them to expand slightly so they can be scraped clean with a wire brush or poker rod.
Corn cobs
Corn cobs are a great way to start a fire in the fireplace. The cobs burn slowly and provide an excellent base for your fireplace log.
The cobs will also withstand high temperatures without breaking down, making them ideal for use with wood stoves and fireplaces.
Sawdust
Sawdust is the most common material used to clean chimneys. It burns quickly, so you’ll need a lot of it ready to go. Nonetheless, it does not produce smoke or soot and is inexpensive.
The only drawback is that sawdust can leave a mess to clean up after the fire. So make sure you’ve got plenty of rags or newspapers on hand to wipe up any spills and keep your hearth tidy.
Bottom Line
It’s essential to clean out your fireplace before using it again after winter has passed. Most state fire codes require homeowners who burn wood in their fireplaces to clean their chimneys once per year.
These suggestions will work well if you don’t know how to go about it. If you are having a problem cleaning your chimney using the above tricks, get the input of expert chimney contractors Upper Marlboro.
