What is Creosote and Why You Should Hire a Professional Dutch Mills, AR Chimney Sweep to Get Rid of It

For the most reliable, efficient, and affordable chimney sweep services in Arkansas, there’s only one company to call: Ozark Stove and Chimney. For years, our locally owned and operated, fully licensed and insured chimney maintenance company has been improving the comfort and safety of Washington County homes. Our professionally trained technicians are certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and adhere to the most stringent standards and use the most advanced strategies and state-of-the-art technologies to deliver exceptional results. If you need chimney inspection and cleaning services, when you choose Ozark Stove and Chimney, you can rest assured that the most reliable chimney sweep in Dutch Mills, AR professionals will be on the job.

An Overview of Creosote and Why You Need to Hire a Professional Washington County Chimney Sweep to Remove It

Is your fireplace emitting a strong campfire smell? Is ash collecting on your hearth? Do you see dark brown or black stains on the interior of your fireplace doors or inside your firebox? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, an excessive buildup of creosote is likely to blame. What is creosote? If you own a fireplace, familiarizing yourself with this substance and learning how to deal with it is essential for the safety of your family and your Washington County home by contacting Ozark Stove and Chimney.

What is Creosote?

Wood contains natural oils. When you light a fire in your wood-burning fireplace, if those oils don’t burn completely, they off-gas and travel via smoke. As smoke rises, it cools and condenses with water and other compounds, creating a residue that collects inside the chimney flue, firebox, fireplace doors, and other components of your fireplace. That residue is called creosote.

At first, creosote is relatively easy to remove; however, as it builds up, it turns into a dense, sticky, tar-like substance, and removing it can be challenging. There are three different stages of creosote:

1. Stage 1. When creosote build-up first starts, it’s a loose, flaky deposit that can be brushed away with relative ease.
2. Stage 2. Eventually, creosote becomes more tar-like. While it may still resemble flakes to some degree, removing it becomes more challenging and requires specialized tools.
3. Stage 3. In this stage, the tar-like substance becomes thicker, it hardens, removing it is exceedingly difficult, and it creates a very hazardous situation.

What Causes Creosote?

The chimney allows you to safely burn fires in your Washington County home, as it exhausts smoke and excess heat out of your house, and it feeds fires with the oxygen they need to burn. While chimneys are vital, they do have a downside: they can restrict airflow. Since a chimney can prevent sufficient airflow, wood won’t burn as completely as it should. As such, oils in the wood are released, creating creosote that is pulled up in smoke as it travels out of the chimney.

Is Creosote Buildup Dangerous?

The more creosote builds up in your chimney, the more damage it can do to the structure and to your Washington County house. It can also put you and your loved ones in a dangerous situation. Though each stage poses its own unique risk, all creosote is problematic, regardless of the amount.

When creosote accumulates on the inside of your chimney, it can reduce airflow and prevents smoke, ash, and other toxic gasses, such as carbon monoxide from traveling out of your Washington County house. As such, when your chimney flue is coated with creosote, you and your family are at risk of breathing in those toxins.

Reduced airflow and exposure to toxic substances aren’t the only problems. Creosote can also lead to chimney fires. It is highly combustible and all it takes is a single spark to cause a massive fire that can quickly engulf your Washington County house.

How Much Creosote is Too Much?

It doesn’t take a lot of creosote to cause a major issue, so as soon as it starts to accumulate, it can become a problem. With that said, however, stage 2 and stage 3 creosote are the most concerning because at these stages, it is extremely flammable.

How do You Get Rid of Creosote?

The best way to remove creosote from your Washington Count fireplace is by hiring a professional Dutch Mills, AR chimney sweep. This is particularly true for stage 2 and 3 creosote buildup; however, you should also hire a trained professional to address stage 1 creosote. That’s because a licensed and experienced professional will have the knowledge and skill, as well as the tools and equipment that are necessary to effectively remove the substance. In addition to removing the creosote buildup from your chimney, a reputable professional will perform a comprehensive chimney inspection, checking all components of the structure to ensure that everything is working properly.

In short, hiring a trusted Dutch Mills, AR chimney sweep is the most effective way to eliminate all stages of creosote buildup. Doing so will not only improve the function of your fireplace and chimney, but it will also ensure the safety of your Washington County home, and most importantly, will secure the safety of your family and yourself.