Chimney inspection and cleaning is essential for the safe and efficient operations. It is always recommend hiring a licensed chimney contractor to handle chimney maintenance tasks. Perhaps, with basic tools and common sense, you can also inspect your chimney to understand the actual condition of your chimney.

Why to inspect a chimney

You can discover cracks and clogs while inspecting your chimney. It is totally unsafe to use a cracked or clogged chimney, as they possess risk of chimney fire, carbon-monoxide leaks and collapse. Chimneys look perfectly fine from outside. It is not possible to determine the actual condition of the chimneys by simply analyzing from outside. Only after thoroughly inspecting your chimney, you will be able to determine if your chimney need to be repaired or cleaned.

Tips for Inspecting a Chimney

Inspect Regularly

You should consider inspecting your chimney at the beginning and the end of the fireplace season. Regular inspection will unveil the minor chimney and fireplace problems before they turn into major issues. Also, it will be easier for the chimney sweeper to clean the thin creosote layer.

Prepare yourself for thorough inspection

In order to inspect your chimney, you will need the following tools:

• Flashlight(to see inside the chimney)
• Safety glass(to protect your eyes harmful toxins that your chimney might release)
• Dust mask(to protect yourself from chimney dust)
• Ladder (to climb up)
• Wire brush
• Drop cloth
• Extension cord

Inspect your chimney from all the angles

You should inspect your chimney from all the possible angles. Chimneys are huge structures. Make sure you cover maximum part of the chimney during your inspection.

Know what to look for

Chimney inspection is not a fun task. You will have to be very serious while inspecting your chimney. Then only you will be able to discover serious anomalies of your chimney. So, look for:

• Cracks
• Clogs
• Linings
• Creosote
• Chimney Crown
• Moisture

Hire a chimney contractor

No matter how much dedicated you are for chimney cleaning. Hiring a chimney contractor for chimney inspection and cleaning is always advantageous. A professional knows how to make your chimney safe for the entire season.