C&C Chimney Removes Glazed Creosote Thoroughly & Safely
You may have noticed a dark buildup inside your chimney the last time you burned a fire. It could have been in the form of hardened flakes or soot, or you may have detected a sticky, tarry material clinging to the flue liner and smoke chamber. This is creosote, and when left alone, it can become a serious fire hazard: All it takes is 1/8″ to 1/4″ of creosote buildup to ignite and start a rapidly spreading chimney fire.
Creosote forms when any of the following is true:
- there isn’t proper air supply in the flue, so smoke and its byproducts aren’t promptly expelled
- the chimney is cooler than normal
- unseasoned (green or wet) wood is burned
- the firebox is overloaded with wood to get a longer burn time
While there are commercial self-cleaning logs on the market, they’re no substitute for a thorough cleaning with a licensed, trained, and insured chimney professional. Removing creosote safely, thoroughly, and without mess or toxic chemicals is our specialty.
How Do I Know If My Chimney Has A Creosote Buildup?
A couple clues that there is a buildup of creosote in your chimney include smoke billowing into your home while burning a fire and dark flakes of debris drifting down your flue.
There’s also the tar-like smell: The odor is worse in summer’s heat, and some homeowners use commercial chimney deodorants, baking soda, or kitty litter to combat the smell. But this only masks the problem, which is not always detectable by the nose.
Don’t wait until you smell it: Having a professional thoroughly inspect your chimney each year is the safest way to keep ahead of dangerous creosote levels and have it completely, safely removed.
How First-, Second- & Third-Degree Creosote Is Removed
When air can’t easily flow through a dirty chimney, smoke isn’t properly vented outside your house, and the combustible creosote residue that forms makes a chimney fire more likely. What you need to do is have a certified, insured technician remove the creosote, sweep the chimney flue, and clean out the smoke chamber.
There are three stages or levels of creosote. Our chimney specialists can determine what type of creosote buildup exists in your chimney and remove it safely. All degrees of creosote need to be removed for your chimney to work flawlessly — here’s what you need to know about each level:
- First degree: It is typical to have some creosote in your chimney if you’re burning wood. What forms is a light, feathery soot that’s easily removed with a dry chimney brush.
- Second degree: This buildup is going to be darker, flakier, and hardened, and is best tackled with a stiff chimney brush or a rotary loop. We typically see this with fireplaces that have glass doors or with fireplaces that haven’t been cleaned regularly. Our specialists have the training and tools needed to address this problem.
- Third degree: The most dangerous and stubborn of the three types, the extremely flammable third-degree glazed creosote, cannot be removed with standard sweeping tools and products. Instead, the creosote must be removed using a product called Poultice Creosote Remover (PCR). This product completely breaks down and absorbs the creosote, removing its sticky properties so it can be easily brushed away.
Wearing shoe covers, our technicians shelter their work area with tarps before using chimney brushes, rotary loops, and any other necessary tools to clean out the flue, firebox, and smoke chamber. We then run a commercial vacuum to catch any soot and keep your home clean. So if you’re worried about a mess, don’t be! We’ll treat you and your property with consideration and respect.
C&C Chimney Specialists Do it Right The First Time
Is creosote a problem in your chimney? Let C&C Chimney’s licensed and insured team remove it so you can enjoy a safer fireside experience. Our experts are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), led by Oklahoma’s first and only Master Certified Chimney Specialist, and we maintain membership with the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) and Better Business Bureau (BBB). We’ve served Skiatook and Greater Tulsa Area since 2006, which means your neighbors can vouch for our work and commitment to the ultimate customer satisfaction.
Call us today at 918-396-8296 or schedule an inspection online.
When it comes to bird and animal removal, our chimney cleaning crews know exactly what to do to restore your chimney and fireplace to safe use, so give us a call.