Nothing is more soothing on a cold, wintry day than relaxing in the comfort and warmth of a glowing fire.  However, if you cannot remember the last time that you had your fireplace and chimney cleaned, then it is probably time for a thorough cleaning.  Depending on how often you use your fireplace during the colder months, a cleaning is recommended at least once every year.  This will protect you and your family against the risk of a fire starting in the chimney or your indoor air quality from being ruined by smoke circulating throughout your home via your HVAC system.
 
When you use your fireplace frequently, soot accumulates in your chimney.  In addition to this, debris and leaves can enter the chimney if there isn’t a cap or guard installed.  This can restrict the venting of smoke out of your home through the chimney.  If the chimney is clogged, smoke can fill your home very quickly with potentially dangerous results.  This can all be easily avoided by having your fireplace and chimney cleaned by Dapper Ducts.
 
Most importantly, regular chimney cleaning prevents the build-up of creosote, a flammable substance that can ignite and burn very quickly as well as causing a blockage and restricting air flow.  Dapper Ducts will ensure that the creosote has been thoroughly removed from the chimney’s interior walls, thereby reducing the risk of a fire occurring. We can also install a chimney cap if needed.
 
It’s also important to remember that cleaning your chimney and fireplace can be very messy and hiring a professional to do the job means your hands and home will stay clean. 
 
We hope you call Dapper Ducts today to schedule your chimney cleaning and enjoy a safe and warm winter season.

Chimney cleaning is vital to the safety of you and your family as well as your home.  Over time, you will most likely be confronted with at least one of the following issues.
 
Blockage – aside from creosote (see below), there are a number of potential blockage problems that a chimney sweep can correct.  Over time, birds nesting in the chimney and the accumulation of leaves and other forms of debris can prevent smoke from exiting.
 
Brickwork problems – depending on the condition of the mortar used in the construction of your chimney, the masonry could last up to 100 years.  However, over time, that mortar deteriorates and brickwork problems occur due to excessive exposure to moisture (a common problem in the Mid-Atlantic with our humid weather).
 
Chimney cap and crown issues – these features are the primary defense against the more harsh outdoor elements.  When the cap and crown are damaged, they no longer operate properly.  The result is that moisture can find its way into the chimney and cause all types of problems over time.
 
Creosote – this is a chemical that deposits along the walls of your chimney whenever you burn wood in your fireplace.  Over time, creosote and soot accumulate on the walls.  Since creosote is highly flammable, it can ignite without any warning.
 
Flue cracks – when the chimney flue is cracked, a house fire can start very easily.  As heat escapes through the chimney, it can come into contact with the combustible elements of your home posing a very dangerous situation for you, your family and your neighbors.
 
Dapper Ducts performs professional chimney cleaning and inspection to ensure that none of these issues happen to you.   We want your evenings in front of the fire to be relaxing and worry-free. 

Over time, the efficiency of your chimney can be negatively impacted by creosote, debris, and soot build-up, not to mention the increased risk of a chimney fire occurring.  Proper chimney cleaning can go a long way in correcting many issues and avoiding potentially dangerous situations.  This will increase your chimney’s efficiency and extend its life as well.  There are several methods that professional chimney sweep services can use to clean your chimney.  The following will make you more aware of these different methods.
 
Applied weight method – if you have a longer chimney (e.g. a multiple story), applying weights will result in a more thorough chimney cleaning.  The professional will attach a weight to their brushes then lower them down along the walls of the passageway.
 
Top-to-bottom/bottom-to-top method – as the name implies, a chimney cleaning technician will start with the flue and the top of the chimney to clean the majority of debris out.  When done, they will reverse the process and work their way back up to the top in order to ensure that little if anything gets missed and remains on the walls of the passageway.
 
Two-person method – this method is one of the quicker, more effective chimney cleaning methods in use today.  One of the two individuals involved in the process will start at the top while the other will start at the bottom.  The chimney brush has a rope attached to each side.  The person at the top controls one rope while the person at the bottom controls the other.  The chimney cleaning specialists alternate pulling the ropes while dragging the brush along the walls of the chimney passageway.
 
Above all, chimney cleaning requires experience, skill and specialized knowledge to work with the tools and follow the proper technique for cleaning the chimney. The specifications of every job vary and we adjust our methods accordingly.  Our DC, MD and VA chimney sweep service technicians do a professional job, leaving your business or home, healthy and clean. 

​When you think about home safety, you might think of having an alarm system, locking your doors and windows, keeping cleaning solutions in a safe place, and having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.  Along those lines, chimney cleaning is a key safety issue in your home.  Educating yourself and understanding more about the process can go a long way to prevent any serious fire risks in the future.
 
Dapper Ducts, Inc., like any professional chimney cleaning company, strives to keep your home as clean as possible when cleaning your chimney.  We want to ensure your home is as clean when we leave as when we arrived.  We use drop cloths to cover flooring and any nearby furniture to catch the falling creosote, debris, and soot while cleaning the flue and the passageway.
 
When cleaning your chimney, Dapper Ducts’ technicians always start at the top with the flue and then work their way down.  This is the recommended procedure since the creosote that accumulates starts hardening on the flue walls and your chimney’s inner surface.
 
After the top-to-bottom cleaning is completed, our chimney cleaning professionals will usually reverse the process and clean from the bottom to the top.  This ensures a thorough cleaning and no area throughout the entire passageway will go un-brushed and un-cleaned.  It also lowers the risk of combustion that can result from a creosote build-up.
 
The last step involves a thorough cleaning of the entire fireplace area.  In most cases, the technician will clean any existing debris that has fallen during the chimney cleaning process.
 
Whenever you consider hiring a professional for chimney sweep/chimney cleaning, be sure that you inquire about the steps above.  The safety of your home is worth it!

Nothing is more ideal on a cold, wintry day than relaxing in front of the comfort and warmth of a crackling fire in your fireplace.  However, if you cannot remember the last time that you had your fireplace and chimney cleaned and maintained by a professional chimney sweep, then it is probably time for a thorough cleaning. 
 
Depending on how often you use your fireplace during the winter, a thorough cleaning is recommended no less than once every year.  This will protect you and your family against the risk of a fire starting in the chimney or your indoor air quality from being ruined by smoke circulating throughout your home via your HVAC system.  When you use your fireplace frequently throughout the colder months of the year, soot accumulates in your chimney.  In addition to this, debris and leaves can enter the chimney if there is no rain cap or guard installed.  This also restricts the venting of smoke out of your home.
 
Most importantly, regular chimney cleaning prevents the build-up of creosote, a flammable substance that can ignite and burn very quickly as well as causing a blockage and restricting air flow.  A professional chimney sweep will ensure that this has been thoroughly removed from the chimney’s interior walls, thereby reducing the risk of a fire occurring. 
 
Finally, cleaning your chimney and fireplace can be quite messy, so it’s not a job you would want to attempt yourself. It’s best to give Dapper Ducts a call and we’ll be happy to get it ready for all those cozy evenings by the fire.