Chimney Doctor's Homeowner's Guide
Avoid Creosote Buildup in Your Fireplace Chimney
Efficient Burning Techniques
The key is to burn small, hot fires, using hardwood - that will minimize creosote accumulation and maximize heat output. Keep fires burning hot with flames, not smoldering with a lot of smoke.
Be careful not to add too much firewood. In a fireplace, keep the top of the flames visible below the fireplace opening. In a woodstove, keep the flames confined to the woodstove itself. With glass doors, keep the doors wide open with the screen closed for a good half-hour after starting the fire. When you see the fire is burning well, close the doors and set any draft controls It's better to add smaller loads more often, than to cram in a lot of wood trying to get an all-day burn. When you're ready to put out a fire, separate the logs by moving them to the side of the fireplace, or stand them on end in the back of the fireplace. Close the screen or glass doors tightly, but don't close the damper until you're sure the fire and coals are completely out.
 Pyrolized Creosote (after chimney fire) |
 Third Degree (Combustible) Creosote |
Chimney Odor
Also known as smoke odors, campfire like smells, chimney problems wind smells, or fireplace odors. Fireplace smells & chimney odor problems may be attributed to a multitude of different things. Fireplace smells come from creosote deposits in your chimney, a natural byproduct of burning wood. Chimney odors are usually worse in the summer when the humidity is high, on rainy days, and/or when the air conditioner is running. A good chimney sweep may help minimize your fireplace smell but will not solve your problem. Creosote absorbs into the porous masonry construction inside your chimney, embedding the fireplace smell beyond the masonry's surface (much like the walls of your firebox stain black with use). A chimney sweep will remove the surface buildup of creosote to prevent an ignition (chimney fire), but the chimney odors remain absorbed into the masonry surface causing fireplace smells.
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Chimney Doctors provides chimney and fireplace services to the following Southeastern Milwaukee & Southcentral Madison Wisconsin Communities:
Ashippun, Bayview, Big Bend, Brookfield, Butler, Cambridge, Cedarburg, Colgate, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Cudahy, Deerfield,
De Forest, Delafield, Dousman, Eagle, Elm Grove, Fitchburg, Franklin, Genessee Depot, Germantown, Grafton, Greendale, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Hartford, Hartland, Hubertus, Ixonia, Jackson, Lannon, Madison, Marshall, McFarland, Menomonee Falls, Mequon, Merton, Middleton, Milwaukee, Monona, Mukwonago, Muskego, Nashotah, Neosho, New Berlin, North Lake, North Prairie, Oak Creek, Oconomowoc, Okauchee, Oregon, Pewaukee, Port Washington, Richfield, Rubicon, Saukville, Saint Francis, Shorewood, Slinger, South Milwaukee, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Sussex, Thiensville, Verona, Wales, Waukesha, Waunakee, Wauwatosa, West Allis, West Bend, and Windsor. Full Zip Code List