How do you sweep a chimney?
Short answer. Chimney sweeping means scrubbing soot and creosote off the inside of the flue with a brush sized to the flue, pushed on flexible rods from the top down or the bottom up, while a vacuum and a sealed firebox keep the dust out of the house. Homeowners can sweep a simple, accessible flue themselves, but steep roofs, glazed creosote and liner inspection are jobs for a certified sweep.
How professionals do it
- Seal the fireplace opening with plastic and run a HEPA vacuum to keep soot out of the room.
- Inspect the firebox, damper and smoke chamber.
- Run a brush matched to the flue's shape and size (round, square or rectangular; wire for clay tile, poly for stainless liners) on rods from the bottom up or the top down.
- Clean the smoke chamber and damper area by hand.
- Vacuum the debris and inspect the flue, often with a camera.
- Write up the findings with photos.
If you want to do it yourself
- Measure the flue and buy the correctly sized brush and enough rods for the full height.
- Work from below if possible, to stay off the roof. Seal the opening with plastic and tape, leaving a slit for the rods.
- Add rods one at a time, scrubbing up and down as you go.
- Let the dust settle before removing the plastic, then clean up with a vacuum rated for fine ash.
- Wear a mask and eye protection. Soot is an irritant.
When to call a sweep
- Glazed or tar-like creosote, which a brush will not remove.
- Any sign of a past chimney fire, cracked tiles or a damaged liner.
- A steep or two-story roof.
- A stove insert or furnace flue.
Sweeping logs burned in the fire can loosen some deposits but are no substitute for brushing and inspection. Look for a sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. See chimney leaks and crickets and roof maintenance checklist for Georgia.