8 signs your chimney needs sweeping (and you should not wait)
Smoke coming inside, a burnt smell with the fire unlit, a weak draught. These are the signs that the chimney needs an urgent or preventive inspection.
There are signs a chimney gives you when it needs sweeping. Some are urgent — you should not light it until it has been checked. Others are warnings you can deal with at the next scheduled inspection. In this article we explain what they are and what they mean.
The clearest signs are: smoke entering the room, a burnt smell between uses, visible soot in the firebox, or more than a year having passed since the last cleaning. If you notice any of these, do not light the fireplace until it has been checked.
Urgent signs: do not light the fire until it has been checked
1. Smoke comes into the room. If, when you light the fire, the smoke does not go up the flue but comes into the room, there is a draught problem. It could be a blocked flue, a damper that is not properly open, negative pressure in the house or an obstruction. Either way, do not use it until you know what it is.
2. You see flames or sparks outside the flue or on the roof. This is a chimney fire. Get out of the house, call 112 and do not try to put it out yourselves. After any chimney fire, however small, the chimney needs a professional inspection before it is used again.
3. You notice a persistent burnt smell without the fire being lit. It can mean there is built-up creosote warming up with the outside temperature, or that there is a leak in the flue letting air laden with residue into the house.
4. The flue has not been checked for more than 2 years. It is not a visible sign, but it is the safest criterion. After two seasons without an inspection, the creosote build-up can be enough to pose a real risk.
Warning signs: schedule an inspection soon
5. The draught is weaker than it used to be. The fireplace takes longer to come up to temperature, the fire goes out more easily, or you notice the draught is not as strong as last season. It usually points to a partial build-up in the flue.
6. More soot than usual around the fireplace. If you see fine soot building up on the mantelpiece or around the mouth of the firebox, it can mean the flue is losing its capacity to draw the gases away.
7. The last inspection was more than a year ago. If you use the fireplace regularly (more than 30 days a year), an annual inspection is the standard recommendation.
8. You have burnt a lot of wet firewood. Wet firewood produces twice as much creosote as dry wood. If you have burnt a lot of it without knowing (badly seasoned firewood looks dry on the outside), the flue may have a bigger build-up than expected.
Creosote: it is the residue left by incomplete combustion. It builds up on the flue walls and, once it reaches a certain concentration, it can ignite on its own. It is the main cause of chimney fires.
When to call without waiting any longer
If you identify any of the urgent signs (points 1 to 4), do not light the fire until a professional has checked it. In the case of the warning signs (points 5 to 8), you can carry on using it but schedule the inspection as soon as possible, especially if we are in season.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep using the fireplace if a little smoke comes inside?
No. Even a small amount of smoke coming inside can contain carbon monoxide. Stop using the fireplace until the cause has been resolved.
How long does an emergency inspection take to arrange?
In most cases we can come out within 2-5 working days. In high season it can be a little longer. Call us and we will confirm availability the same day.
How do I know if creosote has built up without opening the flue?
You can look up from the firebox with a torch. If the flue walls have a visible layer of dark residue, there is a build-up. The exact amount can only be established with a professional inspection or a camera.
Does the inspection also cover pellet stoves?
Yes. Pellet stoves show different signs — unusual noises from the fan, loss of performance, glass that dirties very quickly — but they also need an annual service.
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Do you see any of these signs in your chimney?
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