Ready to get your hands dirty? We hope so, because chimney cleaning can be a messy job! Of course, since we would never advise you to clean your chimney on your own, it’s only our hands that are going to be getting messy. We apologize for the fakeout, but there is absolutely no circumstance in which you are going to be able to clean your chimney on your own.
Chimneys may seem very straightforward. It’s just a brick tube jutting up through your house, right? Well, no. Not at all, really. If that were the case, then water would be pouring into your home when it rained, you’d have smoke blowing into your living space, and so on. It’s not just a matter of knowing how chimneys are designed and laid out, though. It is also a matter of knowing how to navigate that chimney in order to do a thorough job of cleaning it—not to mention having the tools to do so onhand.
What do you immediately think of when it comes to problems with your chimney? Is it damage caused by rainwater? Perhaps issues stemming from freezing, then warmer, then freezing temperatures? Or maybe simply a chimney that is not venting smoke properly? While these are all certainly cause for concern, there is another problem that many homeowners don’t really think about until it is too late.
Some homeowners rely on their fireplaces as their main heat source. Others just cannot resist the cozy comfort that cuddling up with a cup of tea and a good book next to the fireplace can provide. Regardless of how much you use your fireplace, and regardless of what its main function in your home may be, you need your fireplace to function properly at all times. That means burning wood effectively and removing smoke from the home reliably.
When you think of the services that your chimney may eventually need, you might think of problems related to crumbling fireboxes, flue issues, or water damage. Another very common problem that we can help to solve has to do with animal infiltration. True to our word about being your one stop shop for all of your chimney service needs, we offer 
A wood-burning fireplace is a beautiful thing for any home in Minneapolis. Not only does it keep you warm and cozy, it also looks gorgeous. Many of the homes we visit have a classic look and feel, such as those colonial or craftsman homes that seem to get swept off the market in no time at all. Many others have chimneys or fireplaces renovated after the construction of the home, often adding a chic, modern look and feel.
It may seem that a home’s chimney was made to withstand anything that comes its way, especially something as simple as water. And yet, water damage is the number one reason chimneys require repair. With time, water can damage the inside of a chimney (especially as water freezes and expands in the winter).
Worried about the cute critters that live in your neighborhood? The local wildlife may be majestic, but birds, squirrels, and other critters can be curious creatures. These animals have been known to find themselves in sticky situations in the human world, including getting stuck inside chimneys and wreaking havoc (or remaining undetected for too long).
We know a lot of people are doubtful that regular chimney cleaning is all that important. How much dirt could be in there? And why should you care? It’s out of your view, after all, and you care much more about the condition of your fireplace. But, of course, chimney cleaning has nothing to do with the way the chimney looks.
There are many maintenance tasks around the home that are easy to let slide. For example, you may not be in any rush to clean underneath the refrigerator or the washing machine, or on top of a high bookshelf, when these are not places that your guests are likely to see. Out of sight, out of mind! Unfortunately, too many people have the same mentality when it comes to another hidden area of the home, the inside of the chimney.
It’s the perfect time of year to light a fire and bask in the warmth and comfort a fireplace can provide. That is, of course, as long as your chimney is not a risk to your health and safety. However, many people don’t realize that problems within a chimney exist. Or, they may think that they can still use their chimneys despite the problems that exist.