Do you have a chimney in your home that is actively used, but you can't remember the last time you've had it cleaned? Even though cleaning the chimney does not seem necessary, it can provide a lot of benefits. Here are a few reasons to get your chimney cleaned. 

Prevent Potential Fires

One of the main reasons to get your chimney cleaned is to prevent a potential chimney fire from happening. When you use your chimney a lot, it will lead to a lot of creosote that collects in the chimney itself, which is a highly combustible tar-like substance. It happens gradually over time as the soot from fires coats the inside liner of the chimney. As the chimney heats up, the creosote heats up as well and can potentially set on fire. If this happens, you run the risk of your entire house catching on fire too. A chimney cleaning is going to remove all of the creosote inside the chimney and prevent this problem from happening.

Prevent Health Problems

There are some health hazards that can come from having a chimney that is dirty and in need of cleaning. There is the added risk of carbon monoxide getting into your home, which can result in you feeling nauseous, having a headache, feeling dizzy, or even fainting. Many people do not realize they have a problem with carbon monoxide in their home due to it being colorless and odorless, which is why a carbon monoxide detector is so important. A chimney that is dirty is going to be more likely to release carbon monoxide in your home when the creosote burns up. If you don't realize this is happening, it can be a huge hazard to your health.

Fix Physical Damage

Having a chimney cleaning project performed does not just physically clean the chimney, it will also involve having it inspected too. If there are any problems with a crack in the chimney liner, poor ventilation, or a damaged cap, the chimney cleaner is going to find it and recommend a repair. For example, if there is a crack in the chimney liner, you can run into an issue where moisture gets into the exterior brick of the chimney and causes the mortar and brick to become whiter in color. This can be avoided by getting on top of potential problems sooner rather than later.

Contact a chimney cleaning service near you to learn more.