Brick surround
The surround is cleaned of soot without spreading the stain.
Chimney Sweeping
Fireplace Cleaning Jenkintown, PA
A Jenkintown chimney sweep can clean out a dirty fireplace and check the firebox and damper while it is open. One call to (267) 633-0240 reaches a chimney sweep near you.
A fireplace collects more than ash. Soot coats the firebrick and the back of the damper, creosote flakes onto the smoke shelf, and fine ash works into the grate, the ash dump and the glass doors. A cleaning clears all of it, and it gives the sweep a clear look at the brick, mortar joints and damper.
A fireplace cleaning focuses on the parts below and around the damper, while a chimney cleaning covers the flue above. For wood-burning fireplaces, the flue is swept along with the firebox, because the fire risk lives higher up. Gas fireplaces need a different kind of cleaning, with the logs, burner, glass and pilot assembly cleaned and checked.
Day to day, the main job left to you is removing ash safely. Coals buried in ash can stay hot enough to start a fire for days, so shovel ash into a metal can with a tight lid and set it outside on a noncombustible surface away from the house. Never use a household vacuum on ash, since a hidden ember can start a fire inside it.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Jenkintown chimney sweep may also recommend chimney cleaning or firebox repair.
Need fireplace cleaning in Jenkintown? Call (267) 633-0240 and describe the problem to a chimney sweep who works in Jenkintown.
Call nowThe process
The fireplace cleaning process
A good fireplace cleaning is thorough, contained and ends with a check of the firebox.
Lay drop cloths
The area around the fireplace is covered and the opening sealed off to keep fine dust out of the room.
Clear the ash
Ash and debris come out of the firebox and ash dump and placed in metal containers.
Damper cleaning
Soot and creosote are scraped from the damper and the shelf above it so the damper seals properly again.
Firebox walls
Soot is brushed from the firebrick or refractory panels and vacuumed away without scrubbing water into the brick.
Glass doors
Glass doors are cleaned of soot and haze, and the grate and screen are brushed off and are checked for warped or broken parts.
Check for damage
The technician looks over the cleaned firebox for damaged brick or panels and open joints before the fireplace goes back into use.
What is included
What fireplace cleaning covers
Damper
The damper and the shelf behind it are cleaned of creosote and debris which also helps it seal when closed.
Firebox
The inside of the fireplace is cleaned of soot and ash including corners and the back wall.
Fireplace doors
Soot and haze are cleaned from the glass and frames and the hinges and latches checked.
Ash dump
The grate, andirons and screen are cleaned, and the ash dump is cleared if there is one and checked for warping.
Related service
Soot Removal Jenkintown, PA
Soot is the dry, black carbon that smoke leaves behind, and it stains brick, stone, grout and glass around the fireplace. The first rule is to remove it dry before using any water, since wetting soot pushes it deeper into porous masonry and spreads the stain. Gentle detergents and soft brushes follow, while strong acids are kept off most surfaces.
A sooty fireplace face often points to a draft problem. Common causes are a dirty or blocked flue, a partly closed damper, wet wood, a fire built too far forward or a house that pulls air down the chimney. Ask the sweep in Jenkintown to find the cause, or the stain will return after a few fires.
Local help
Fireplace Cleaning Near Me
Many Jenkintown homes light the fireplace through the cold months, and that use shows up as ash, soot and a darkened firebox. Around Jenkintown and in nearby towns like Wyncote, Glenside, Elkins Park and McKinley, sweeps clean everything from old brick fireboxes to modern prefab fireplaces, and each needs a slightly different approach. Cleaning at the end of the burning season keeps summer humidity from bringing out the smell.
For fireplace cleaning in Jenkintown, PA or nearby towns like Wyncote, Glenside, Elkins Park and McKinley, call (267) 633-0240 to reach a chimney sweep who covers your street.
How the weather here affects chimneys around Jenkintown
Cold winters keep fireplaces, wood stoves and oil burners working for half the year or more. Masonry takes the worst of it from the freeze and thaw cycle: rain and melting snow soak into the crown and joints, then freeze and push them apart, and each winter widens the cracks a little more. Wind driven rain from coastal storms finds any gap in flashing, too. That is why chimney cleaning in Jenkintown is usually booked in the fall, before the first cold night.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
A chimney problem fixed early rarely spreads to the masonry, the liner or the house.
Familiar with local homes
Local sweeps see the same chimney types and weather wear across Jenkintown and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about fireplace cleaning
How should I dispose of fireplace ashes?
Ash that looks cold can still hold hot embers for days. Store it in a covered metal can outdoors, well away from the house, garage and deck. Wait until it has been cold for days before it goes in the trash.
Is it worth hiring someone to clean a fireplace?
Routine ash removal is a homeowner job. The parts above the firebox, including the damper, smoke shelf and flue, are where a sweep earns the visit. It is also a chance to get the yearly inspection done.
What makes smoke come out of a fireplace?
Smoke comes into the room when the flue cannot pull it up fast enough. Common causes are a partly closed damper, a dirty or blocked flue, wet wood, a cold flue at startup or a house pulling air down the chimney through exhaust fans. A cleaning and inspection sort most of these out.
What is the best way to clean soot from a fireplace?
Dry methods come first, since water spreads soot into porous brick. After that, a gentle cleaner and soft brush handle what is left, after a test patch. Harsh acid cleaners can etch masonry and grout, so leave them to a professional.
How often does a fireplace need cleaning?
Clear ash during the season as it builds up, and have the fireplace and flue cleaned and inspected every year. A thin bed of ash under the grate can help a wood fire, but empty it before it reaches the grate. Fireplaces burned daily may need cleaning more than once a year.
More questions? Call (267) 633-0240
Other services that may help
Chimney Cleaning
Sweeping soot and creosote out of wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, so the flue drafts well and burns safely.
Learn moreFirebox Repair
Restoring a damaged firebox with firebrick, refractory mortar or new panels before heat can reach the framing behind it.
Learn moreFireplace Repair
Fixing fireplaces that smoke, leak heat or show cracked masonry so they burn cleanly and safely again.
Learn moreChimney Damper Repair
Repairing dampers that will not open, close or seal so smoke goes up and heated air stays in.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all chimney servicesTalk to a Jenkintown chimney sweep about fireplace cleaning
Call (267) 633-0240 for a local chimney sweep in Jenkintown and nearby towns.
(267) 633-0240
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