Wood Burning Fireplace Cleaning

A fireplace that burned well last winter can slowly fall behind. The fire takes longer to catch, smoke curls out under the opening, and the room smells like a campfire long after the ashes go cold. Most of the time the cause is buildup you can't see from the hearth. Wood burning fireplace cleaning takes care of it before it turns into a safety problem.

What wood burning fireplace cleaning covers and who needs it

Burning wood gives off smoke, water vapor and unburned particles. As they rise and cool, they stick to the firebox walls, the damper, the smoke chamber and the flue liner as soot and creosote. Creosote can be a light powder, a crusty flake or a hard, shiny glaze. All three forms burn, and the glazed form is the hardest to remove.

Cleaning a wood burning fireplace makes sense if you use it regularly, if it sat unused for a season or more, if you just bought a home with a fireplace, or if you burned wood that wasn't fully seasoned. If you have a closed unit rather than an open fireplace, see our wood-burning fireplace inserts service. Inserts are cleaned a little differently.

Signs your fireplace is due for cleaning

• Smoke spills into the room, or the fire struggles to draft even with the damper fully open.
• Black, flaky or tar-like deposits on the firebox walls or on the damper plate.
• A heavy, sour odor, especially on humid days or when the air conditioning runs. Our page on what causes a lingering fireplace smell explains the usual sources.
• Debris, flakes or small pieces of masonry falling onto the grate.
• Soot streaks on the face of the fireplace above the opening.
• It has been a full burning season or longer since the last cleaning.

Some of these signs can also point to damage, not just dirt. If buildup is collecting in the sloped area above the damper, read about smoke shaft problems. If the firebox or surround shows gaps, see why fireplace tile cracks.

What happens during a cleaning visit

What gets checked and cleaned

Cleaning options and what decides between them

You don't have to choose before we arrive. The condition of the flue usually makes the choice clear, and we explain the reason before doing anything beyond the cleaning you asked for.

What affects the scope of the job

• How much creosote has built up, and which form it is in
• The height of the chimney and how easy the top is to reach
• The flue's shape and size, and whether it has a liner
• Blockages such as nests, leaves or fallen masonry
• Whether repairs are needed once the surfaces are clean

How to prepare for the visit

• Skip fires for at least a day before the appointment, so the firebox and ashes are completely cold.
• Clear a path to the fireplace and move furniture, rugs and decor a few feet back from the hearth.
• Take fragile items off the mantel.
• Keep pets and children in another room while we work.
• Write down anything you've noticed, such as when smoke spills or when the odor is worst.

Fireplace help when something goes wrong

Fireplace problems don't keep business hours. We take calls 24 hours a day, Sunday through Friday and accept emergency calls, such as smoke pouring into the house or an animal trapped in the flue. When the schedule allows, we offer same-day service. Estimates are free, so you can find out what's needed before deciding anything.

Fireplace accessories that improve efficiency

An open fireplace sends much of its heat up the chimney. The right fireplace accessories won't turn it into a furnace, but they can help it burn cleaner and lose less warm room air. Our guide to a more efficient fireplace goes deeper. Here are four accessories worth considering:

• Glass fireplace doors. Closing them once the fire dies down limits how much heated room air gets pulled up the flue. We do fireplace door installation.
• A chimney cap. It keeps rain, leaves and animals out of the flue, which means fewer blockages and less moisture mixing with soot. We install and replace chimney caps, including models with a spark arrestor.
• A raised grate. Lifting the wood lets air reach the fire from below, so it burns hotter and cleaner. A hotter fire leaves less creosote.
• A fireplace insert. This is the biggest step up in efficiency. It turns an open opening into a closed, controlled burn. We install inserts as well.

Customizing with fireplace accessories

Doors, screens and caps come in many finishes, so you can match them to your room. Function comes first, though. Accessories should fit the opening and flue correctly, and they should never block the airflow the fire needs.

Protecting a fireplace accent wall

A stone, brick or tile fireplace accent wall is often the centerpiece of a room, and smoke stains show quickly on light surfaces. Dark streaks above the opening usually mean the fireplace isn't drafting well. Cleaning often fixes it. If staining continues after a cleaning, it may be a draft or smoke chamber issue, and we can repair that. Surface cracks in a surround are worth checking too. Our page on cracked fireplace repair covers what they can mean.

Thinking about adding a second fireplace?

Some homeowners love their main fireplace and want another one in a den, bedroom or finished basement. Before adding a second fireplace to your home, it helps to weigh fuel types. Our comparison of gas and wood fireplaces covers the tradeoffs. If wood is the right choice, our traditional wood fireplace installation page explains how that project works.

Why a maintained fireplace adds value

Buyers and home inspectors look closely at fireplaces. A clean firebox, a working damper and a flue without heavy creosote suggest the house has been cared for. Heavy buildup, cracked masonry or a stuck damper raises questions. Keeping up with cleaning won't set a home's price on its own, but it keeps the fireplace something buyers see as a plus rather than a project. If you're selling, we also offer real estate chimney inspections.