What is a creosote and why does it need to be removed - Manchester NH - Ceaser ChimneyCleaning house is easy, especially if you can see where the dirt is. If someone tracks mud into the kitchen, it’s an easy deal to get out the mop and bucket and wipe those prints up. Dusting end tables and vacuuming carpets makes a big difference in making a room look neat and tidy. But there are some areas where it’s harder to see the dirt, those dark corners, and closets where dirt and dust bunnies hide. Another place that’s hard to get to make things clean is your chimney. You know it’s dirty after a winter’s worth of use, but it isn’t always easy to see the dirt and it definitely isn’t easy to clean it.

Call Ceaser Chimney Service

When you call Ceaser Chimney Service, LLC in to clean your chimney, one of the big things we’ll be looking for is the amount of creosote you have hiding in your chimney, especially near the top, where it’s especially difficult to see. If you’re wondering why it even matters, or if you think if you can’t see it, it can’t hurt you, then you need to think again. Creosote is a natural byproduct of burning wood in your fireplace. All wood has moisture in it, even if it has been cured for over six months. When you burn wood, that moisture is released in the form of smoke. The higher the moisture content, the more smoke you’ll have. Chemicals are also released and mix with the moisture. When this smoke hits the top of the interior of your chimney, where the bricks are cooler, it condenses. Over time, this condensation becomes a thick layer of gunk, either black or brown, sticky or crumbly, and this layer is creosote. Creosote is bad for your chimney for a number of reasons.

First, and probably least dangerous, is the odor. Creosote smells quite bad, and over the warmer, wetter days of summer, the warm, moist air from outside can come down the chimney, mix with creosote, get in your home and sink into your carpet, furniture, or drapes. This can cause a nasty odor that’s hard to get rid of.

Second, and more dangerous, is the fact that creosote is extremely flammable. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), even as little as an eighth of an inch of creosote is enough to catch a spark and cause a major chimney fire. Even if the fire is small and goes out before it causes a devastating house fire, it can cause structural damage to your chimney that allows smoke and chemicals to reenter your home.

CSIA Certified Professionals

Creosote is an enemy of your chimney, and it’s important to get rid of it before the next fire burning season. When you call Ceaser Chimney Service, LLC, you’re getting CSIA certified professionals who know how to remove all traces of creosote from your chimney system. Give us a call now to get on our calendar before the snow flies!