Didn't burn much last season...should I still pay for a sweep?

[jscs.moore]

Hey guys...I didn't burn much in my insert last season, only abut 1.5 to 2 cords of seasoned wood. I'm wondering if I need to have the chimney cleaned? The season before I burned about 2.5 cord of seasoned wood and the chimney sweep said he barely got a quarter of a coffee can of very light ash out of the pipe (pre-insulated/ovalized Olympia).

In my area it's about $125 bucks for the cleaning and way too high up for me to handle...so I'm wondering if I'm just throwing money away if I have the chimney sweep come out and tell me there was barely any ash in there?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I believe it’s recommended that someone at least take a look up the flue once a year to make sure you’re good to go. if not for creosote buildup, than for birds nests or any obstructions that may occur. Of course, you’ll have to make the final judgement call on what you want to do though.

 

[Ashful]

There is probably no need to have someone look at your chimney. The operative word there is “probably”.

If you can access the top for a crown inspection yourself, and run a soot eater on a cordless drill, it would go a long way toward enforcing “probably”.

Minimum, I’d be having someone check the crown every second year, and running the soot eater bottom-up every year. That’s what I’m doing, but I’ve got a few cords under my belt with these stoves, and I can inspect my spark screens from the ground.

 

[begreen]

It's a judgement call. $125 isn't bad insurance/assurance for a clean flue. Only you know the wood you have burned and how the insert was run. For the past several years I've been getting under a cup of sote with annual sweeping, but I feel better still doing it annually with a sooteater. Maybe consider alternating like Ashful suggests.

 

[beatlefan]

Every season I get my chimney swept. Every season the sweep gets very little out of the chimney. Every season I say “I’m going to skip it this year.” And every season, I chicken out at the last minute and have it swept.

After watching my house burn to the ground (chimney fire) when I was a kid, I just can’t risk it for the $150 that my guy charges. I sleep much better this way.

 

[Ludlow]

If you can access the cap, take it off and look. $125 to have someone come out to your house and climb on the roof is a bargain all day long, and peace of mind is priceless!

 

[jscs.moore]

If you can access the cap, take it off and look. $125 to have someone come out to your house and climb on the roof is a bargain all day long, and peace of mind is priceless!

Thanks for the feedback guys...in the end I will probably get it professional cleaned. I agree that piece of mind is worth the $125 bucks!

 

[maple1]

Peace of mind for me would start with having a way to easily look in there & see for myself, at any time. How easy or hard that is would depend on the setup. I think even snakey inspection cameras can be had for fairly cheap these days.

 

[bholler]

Peace of mind for me would start with having a way to easily look in there & see for myself, at any time. How easy or hard that is would depend on the setup. I think even snakey inspection cameras can be had for fairly cheap these days.

Problem is just looking in the bottom doesnt tell you allot. You will always have more buildup at the top and there is no way to see that looking in the bottom.

 

[stovelark]

Was just on top of my roof (easy raised ranch chimney), didn't think much of anything was in the screen, until I eyeballed it up close. Had some crud in it. When in doubt, just clean it- you'll feel better all winter knowing you did the right thing. Still muggy here in SE CT, but not real hot....

 

[Ludlow]

My brother drops a rope down the pipe, ties it to a chimney brush head and then pulls the brush through the pipe.This works if you only seem to have a layer of ash or very light creosote.

 

[yooper08]

Another thing to think about is that an annual inspection is called for. I'm not an insurance expert, but in the unlikely event that you did have a chimney fire, if you had it professionally swept, you can provide documentation that you had it inspected and swept. That could go a long way in making a claim if needed, otherwise, you can't prove it to them.

 

[toddnic]

I would never go without at least checking the chimney! I burn 3 to 3 1/2 cords each year and always clean the chimney. Some years it really needs it and others its not so bad. Always "good insurance" cleaning the chimney. Have you considered cleaning it yourself? Depending upon your setup, it can be really easy.

 

[Ashful]

Have you considered cleaning it yourself? Depending upon your setup, it can be really easy.

'sactly.

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