Introduction
Are you looking forward to an effective way to clean your chimney? Then, this is the right place to go through vital details of chimney cleaning logs.
Do you want to get rid of hazardous creosote plugs in your chimneys? If yes, then creosote sweeping logs are perfectly suitable for you to clean your chimney regularly. The combustible creosote buildup is always ready to catch fire and has caused a lot of fire incidents before. So, its early removal is recommended for the family’s safety, and cleaning logs perform their function effectively and easily to detach them from the chimney flue. However, don’t compare it with professional sweeping; it’s necessary to execute at least once a year. Let’s move toward all the details of the fireplace cleaning logs.
What Do Chimney Logs Do?
Creosote is a residue of smoke, water, and other chemicals remaining in chimneys when adequate airflow is not maintained in chimneys. This deposit starves the fire quickly. Chimney sweeping logs are particular chimney cleaning tools that work through the emission of specialized chemicals dissolving the inside chimney’s creosote deposit. To utilize their functional capability, start the fire and burn the log for almost 2 hours. In return, the debris crust begins to break down because of a chemical reaction with creosote. On completing the time limit of 2 hours, turn off the fire. When the chimney gets cooled, start cleaning the flaky substances of creosote fallen with the help of a brush or a vacuum.
Do Cleaning Logs Really Work?
Creosote accumulation appears in chimneys in 3 stages.
Stage 1: In this stage, creosote is a powdery or sooty material that is much easier to remove with a brush.
Stage 2: The flakes of creosote are blended with stiffened tar that requires cleaning tools for removal.
Stage 3: This is the hardened stage, which is too difficult to remove.
Creosote sweeping logs not only prevent the risk of fire but also help to reduce debris accumulation along the chimney pipes. Creosote buildup, if it stays for a longer time, becomes highly flammable and may cause chimney fires. Cleaning logs are a go-to choice for chimney owners for safe use. These logs work effectively and are simple to use. You just have to unwrap the log and burn it in a wood-burning fireplace. Logs release chemical additives that function to turn sticky debris into flakes that can be easily removed.
Are Cleaning Logs Safe?
Chimney clean logs are safe to use, but there are a few precautions that must be followed for their usage. By employing these safety measures, logs will also work more effectively. Let’s take a glance at all.
⦁ Before using the log, verify its compatibility with your chimney type. Every log doesn’t apply to different types of fireplaces.
⦁ Don’t use logs when first lighting after the summer season. Before using logs, ensure proper draft after two or three burns.
⦁ Hold the damper open and inspect for any blockage before burning the chimney clean log.
⦁ It’s a must to follow the directions on the package of the sweeping log’s.
Advantages of Chimney Cleaning Logs
The accurate use of Chimney sweep logs bestows a lot of benefits. These include:
⦁ Sweeping logs keep your chimneys clean and maintained.
⦁ Its use saves your money when you spend on heating costs because a cleaning log keeps the perfect balance of air leaking in or out. In this way, the efficiency of chimneys also increases.
⦁ Other benefits of logs include reduced chances of fire, prevention of blockages due to creosote, and maintaining better air quality at your place.
Disadvantages of Chimney Cleaning Logs
There are a few drawbacks to using sweeping logs. Let’s have a look.
⦁ Soot deposit is a major issue in coal and oil-activated chimneys. However, fireplace-cleaning logs are mostly compatible with wood-burning chimneys. Most logs are not applicable for propane fireplaces or natural gas-powered chimneys.
⦁ The logs raise a lot of safety concerns, like chimney explosions. When the log works, some particles of unscathed creosote also fall. Because of its combustible nature, deposits can cause fire spurts in chimneys.
⦁ The logs fail to remove heavy obstructions/blockages in fireplaces. However, they contribute mainly to the reduction of debris.
How Often Should You Clean a Chimney?
The question of this answer depends on how much you use your fireplace. Instead of just going for an annual professional sweep, clean your chimneys with cleaning logs after 50-60 fires. Consider soot deposit on your chimney; if the creosote layer is 1/8 inch or exceeds, it’s time to clean your chimneys. Except for that, a strong odor also indicates that cleaning is mandatory. The creosote encrusting smells sharp and suffocating. All the above factors are indicators that your chimney needs cleaning logs.
When to Hire a Chimney Sweep?
When to hire a chimney sweep is a main concern of chimney owners. If you hire professional sweeping during winter, you might be bothered by long wait times. Chimneys are regularly used in the winter season, and most people hire sweep services then. The recommended time of annual professional sweeping is in the early winter, which means before starting the use of fireplaces. However, better and more efficient performance of chimneys requires qualified sweeping once a year.
Note: If you hire sweep services at the last minute, it will cost more. It would be better to book your appointment in a timely manner and take advantage of the seasonal discounts that most companies providing chimney cleaning services offer.
Conclusion:
Concluding all the details within comprehensive words, chimney clean logs are effective in breaking down the sticky tar-like substances into the loose or powdery form of creosote. Along with functional efficiency, these are simple and easy to use. Always consider the safety measures before utilizing cleaning logs to sweep fireplaces for the sake of the family’s protection. Undoubtedly, chimney cleaning logs are the go-to choice for chimney owners, but they can’t be a substitute for an annual professional cleaning.