A chimney sweep is one maintenance action every homeowner needs to keep their chimney in good condition. Now, chimney sweep preparations include several actions taken to set the ball rolling.

In other words, you want the sweeping process to go smoothly by providing what’s needed or required.

When a chimney sweep comes around, they stick to their basic role of providing maintenance. Now, any other thing or action that enables that is deemed your responsibility.

In a nutshell, you’ll need to provide an enabling environment for a chimney sweep to perform basic maintenance services.

Booking an Appointment

When a chimney is due for service, you’ll need to act by calling or booking an appointment. A chimney service will dispatch chimney sweeps to your property to take a look at your chimney.

Cleaning and basic maintenance follow immediately after.

Now, before you ever give a call or begin the booking process, it’s important to focus on the level of professionalism as well as the necessary credentials. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is the body saddled with the responsibility of certifying chimney sweeps.

By checking or confirming the credentials of a chimney sweep, you’re able to pick the right professional for the job. This is the first step that needs to be taken before doing anything else before the chimney sweep’s arrival.

You can also prepare way ahead of time before contacting a chimney service.

Chimney Sweep Preparation Tips

In a bid to visit chimney sweeps a big success, you’ll need to take a variety of actions.

These range from writing down important questions for easy recall to putting measures in place to exclude your pets from the work area.

Other preparatory measures include removing all items from the hearth and mantelpiece. You’ll need to also get rid of un-burnt fuel. Your fireplace shouldn’t be used on the day scheduled for a chimney sweep visit.

You need to ensure there are no obstructions from the driveway to your fireplace.

You’ll need to involve your kids too! All soft furnishings within the area need to be covered. If you have valuables sitting around, relocating such may be necessary. What more? The state of your floor is important.

You might want to protect floors by laying out old paper sheets or newspapers from your door to the chimney area. Such protection serves to minimize the soiling of floors, rugs, and carpets.

With these actions listed, let’s discuss each of them to find out what’s involved.

  • Writing Down Important Questions for Easy Recall

Every homeowner will have questions regarding their chimney’s operation.

Such questions may have to do with improper operation, basic maintenance tips, troubleshooting issues, and the likes. Whatever you seek to clarify must be written down ahead of time.

This way, you get answers to all your pressing questions. Such action positively impacts your chimney condition.

  • Excluding Pets from the Work Area

Pets will normally roam about your home. This situation can be tricky for technicians as they work on your chimney. You can get rid of the tensions by keeping your pets away from the work area.

Finding an enclosure to keep your pets will prove very helpful.

  • Removing All Items from Hearth and Mantelpiece

They’re likely to be items lying around your fireplace.

Have them removed to allow for ample workspace. With such action, you’re promoting the freer movement of equipment as well as personnel around the fireplace.

  • Getting Rid of Un-Burnt Fuel

As chimneys combust fuel to generate heat, you’re likely to discover that not all the fuel is used up. Part of the preparations for a chimney sweep visit includes removing such un-burnt fuel.

For gas fireplaces, the switch is turned off.

  • Never Use Your Fireplace the Same day a Chimney Sweep will Visit

Having booked an appointment with a chimney service, it’s important to make provisions for smooth maintenance operations on that day. One such action includes not using your fireplace on the day of the visit.

By avoiding its use, you’re eliminating the likelihood of delays among other things that may result. Plus, the chimney sweep finds the chimney in perfect condition for inspection.

Sometimes, using a chimney on the same day a chimney sweep will visit might mask a problem.

  • The Path from Your Driveway to Your Fireplace Should be Cleared

Logically speaking, whenever a chimney sweep comes around for maintenance, they drive straight into your driveway. From this position, equipment to be used will need to be moved from the vehicle to your chimney.

You don’t want any form of obstruction(s) getting in the way. Therefore, some clearing or tidying will be in order.

  • Involve the Kids

If you have kids around, you might want to involve them by telling them about the chimney maintenance task to be performed. Inform them to stay out of the way or keep their distance.

When that is done, the likelihood of injuries is greatly diminished.

  • Cover All Furnishings

More often than not, there’ll be all sorts of furnishings including chairs, couches, paintings, and the likes. You can use sheets of fabric to cover these up to prevent soot, dust, and debris from settling.

The easiest way to do this is by covering what you don’t want to be soiled.

  • Move Valuables Away

As the name suggests, valuables are things or items you cherish.

Before a chimney sweep arrives, you should move out such valuables and having them stored properly. These can be returned to their position once this maintenance work is complete.

  • Place Floor Covering from your Door to the Fireplace Area

Whenever chimney sweeps work on a chimney, quite a lot of debris and soot covers the work area. One way to reduce soiling is by having your floor covered with sheets of paper.

Some old newspapers will come in handy. Such floor covering should go from your door to the fireplace.

These are important steps in preparing for a chimney sweep. As stated earlier, the maintenance process is much more efficient and timely when you’ve prepared earlier for such a visit.

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