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Improve Structural Integrity Of Chimneys With A Chimney Sweep Alexandria VA Technician

By Sally Delacruz


Chimneys can cause serious functional and structural problems if they are not properly maintained and cleaned. Burning of wood logs in fireplaces and stoves will release gases and smoke particles that need to be extracted. With the buildup of soot and creosote within the chimneys, it is essential that you consider consulting chimney sweep Alexandria VA technicians. Creosote forms inside flue vents as a result of gases condensing before they reach outside.

When wood burns, the by products consisting of gases and smoke are released to the air. From the chimneys openings, the gases as well as smoke are extracted and emitted outside the flue at the top of the roof. However, as the gases and smoke travel up the vent, they reach cold areas where they tend to condense.

The brushes used should be able to get rid of sticky substances on chimneys walls. Soot and creosote will stick on flue walls making it hard to remove. While the soot may come out easily by wiping with a damp cloth, creosote is stubborn and hard to come out. At times, you may need to use chemical substances to break it up before it is wiped clean from surfaces.

The brushes are designed of different materials such as plastic, polypropylene, or metal. In addition, these brushes come in different sizes in order to enable them fit into chimneys of dissimilar sizes correctly. If you do not use the right size of brushes, you may not be able to get the debris out from flues.

Brushes of the right diameters can offer effective cleanup of chimneys interior without leaving debris inside. Technicians also use rods to attach the brushes on to them for easy access to the elevated surfaces. The brushes will be attached to the rods before they are pushed inside flue chamber to access the interior of vents. The rods may be designed of different materials including wood and fiberglass.

Because not all debris is removed by brushes, chemicals are applied. The chemical soot removers or creosote cleaners are made to break up the hardened substances for easy removal. Not all chemicals can be used for this task as some can be harmful and could trigger explosions. Technicians should understand the safe use of chemicals in this job.

The work is quite tasking, and requires the use of the right tools including brushes, rods, chemicals, vacuums, and ladders. Since you need to access the rooftop to clean the flue down, it means you will use ladders. This can be risky for the homeowners. Besides, some areas of chimneys are not easily reachable requiring climbing inside the vent using a light source to aid the technicians see the dark areas.

Where there are bends and technicians cannot reach the surfaces, the brushed attached to rods are used to clear the debris. Some debris will not come out easily especially the tar-like shiny substance or creosote. The right chemical liquids are used to break up the debris before it is cleaned with a damp cloth. Since this service trade is not properly regulated, getting a qualified technician may not be easy. Dealing with people not trained properly in handling chimneys could risk damaging the structures.




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