How To Prevent Creosote Build-up In Your Chimney
What is creosote?
Creosote is made from the build-up of gases created when wood is burned in a fireplace or log burner.
Forming in the chimney or wood burner flue, creosote is a highly flammable material and should be removed with regular cleanings.
How can I prevent creosote from building up?
Warm up your chimney or flue
Your chimney can be something of a magnet for creosote and one of the main ways it’s created is through using it when cold.
The best way to warm it up is by standing or holding some lit-up rolled-up newspaper inside the fireplace and wait until the smoke rises up, rather than staying inside the stove. This will reduce the amount of condensation and, therefore, the amount of creosote that can build up inside.
Keep your fire’s temperature as high as possible
The higher the temperature, the less smoke that’s created and, consequently, the less creosote that’s built up inside the chimney.
Keep your stove ajar
You need to get oxygen inside, so that your fire burns brighter and hotter. By allowing a small amount of cool air to circulate inside your stove, you are allowing your fire to burn away any creosote-forming gases.
Use dry wood on your fire
Wood fuels, such as Lekto’s Night Briquettes and Heat Logs, are designed to contain a low moisture content - at 9%, they contain less moisture than seasoned firewood. Even with firewood that’s been dried for months, the flames will be burning through the moisture, rather than the wood.
By using hardwood heat logs or softwood night briquettes, this reduces the amount of smoke that’s created in your fireplace.
Furthermore, each of our products are made WITHOUT the use of chemical additives, which significantly helps to create a cleaner fire for your home.
If you want an extra dry fire during the day, buy your Heat Logs here
If you require a simmering warmth to keep your chimney warm (and condensation-free) throughout the night, buy your Night Briquettes here
How to remove creosote from your chimney
If creosote or soot has become attached to the interior of your log burner flue, the best way to clear it would be - in a word - professionally. With the recent surge of traditional fireplaces and wood burning stoves being installed within homes, it is no surprise that experienced and authorised chimney sweeps are also proving to be very popular. And with good reason.
Industry regulations suggest chimneys are inspected and cleaned annually. As well as inspecting your chimney, professional sweeps can remove any dangerous creosote or soot and may recommend how your chimney can be repaired, if required.
For more information, please see our blog on everything you need to know about hiring a chimney sweep here