Having soot in your chimney is not a good idea. This tarry deposit is caused by flammable gases escaping up the flue before they have had chance to burn properly. These gases cool and condense before they have made it to the top of the chimney, causing them to settle within the chimney.
The material solidifies, causing a build-up of soot and ultimately creosote. These build-ups are highly flammable and can be ignited by a spark from below, causing a chimney fire.
It also creates a blockage, which obstructs the flue, causes a poor draw and perpetuates the problem.
So, how do you remove soot from your chimney to avoid these problems?
Use a chimney sweep
The best way to remove soot from your chimney is to call upon the services of professional chimney sweep. Ideally, you’ll pick one who is approved by Hetas, the government recognised body responsible for maintaining standards in the solid fuel industry. Hetas-approved sweeps have attended training courses hosted by a chimney sweep trade association, such as the National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS).
A chimney sweep will brush out any soot, creosote and other blockages that have built-up in your chimney over time. You can minimise the build-up in the first place by ensuring you only burn seasoned wood with a moisture content of less than 25% and fuels that are recommended by the stove manufacturer. It is also worthwhile investigating any problems with downdraught or a poor draw up the chimney.
Calling your chimney sweep once or twice a year is probably appropriate, depending on how frequently you use your woodburner and for what proportion of the year.
Use chimney soot remover
Between sweeps, another way to remove soot from your chimney is to use a specialist chimney soot remover.
These are sachets that can be burned on your stove to maintain a cleaner chimney.
