The National Fire Protection Agency recommends a yearly inspection and cleaning and repairs done as necessary.

The general rule of thumb would be after burning approximately 1 cord of wood or every 2-3 years if you do not burn that much wood.

Before you light a fire after the long summer it is always a good idea to have your chimney inspected. Creosote is not the only thing we look for. Birds could have built a nest, debris could have fallen down the chimney, and mortar joints in your box could be cracked in need of repair. These are just to name a few items Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts will look for in the inspection process.

The Chimney Safety Institute, a non-profit, educational institution for prevention of chimney and venting hazards has issued a statement on the logs. “The use of these products alone is not an adequate substitute for mechanical chimney cleaning and inspection because it does not provide the same level of protection to the chimney system.” It may be creating a false sense of security among consumers.

The chemical in the product has been used for many years by professional chimney sweeps. It is used to change the chemical composition of hard and tacky creosote called, 3rd degree creosote. It changes the creosote into a powdery condition so it can be removed by a chimney cleaning.

Basically the creosote does not dissolve or just vanish, it must be swept out. In small print on the logs it states, “The Cleaning Log is not intended to replace an inspection and professional cleaning.” The log cannot detect any other problems that may be going on with your fireplace.

Convenience is their strong suit when you want a quick fire. Usually, they should be burned only one at a time and only in an open fireplace. Once they are burning, one should be careful about poking them and moving them around since they may break up and the fire may get a bit out of control. Be sure to carefully read the directions on the package.

They do produce creosote in the chimney which must be cleaned out, they are basically made of sawdust, glue and chemicals.

Firewood is an area where you can have great influence over how well your system performs and how enjoyable your experience will be. Quality, well-seasoned firewood will help your fireplace burn cleaner and more efficiently, while green or wet wood can cause smoking problems, odor problems, rapid creosote buildup and possibly even dangerous chimney fires.

Below are some examples of indicators of properly seasoned wood.

• Color – Should have a dull grayness color with dark ends.
• Bark – A sure sign is when the bark is falling off the wood.
• Cracks – Begins to split on the ends and displays cracks.
• Touch – It is much lighter to pick up.
• Sound – Makes a clear clunk when two pieces are hit together.

Firewood Tips