Chimneys are critical in preventing carbon monoxide and toxic gases from spreading in your house by directing them upwards.

But chimneys also accumulate a lot of soot and creosote that can damage the chimney lining and walls. As a result, you should sweep your chimney regularly to remove the accumulated soot and creosote and improve the chimney's performance. 

Neglecting to sweep a chimney for too long can result in various chimney issues that are expensive to fix. Here are three reasons you should hire a chimney sweeping services contractor regularly. 

1. Protect Your Chimney Liner 

A chimney liner is the insulation material on the inner walls of a chimney. 

The liner absorbs the excess heat from the fireplace to prevent it from damaging the chimney's walls. Furthermore, the liner also seals the minute cracks and pores on a chimney's walls. Hence the liner also prevents carbon monoxide and other toxic gasses from going into the house through the small cracks and pores. 

However, a chimney liner is susceptible to incurring damage from excess soot accumulation. When soot and moisture interact, they form a corrosive substance that corrodes the chimney liner. As a result, neglecting to sweep your chimney regularly can result in severe chimney liner damage. 

Schedule regular chimney sweeping services to protect your chimney liner. Besides, chimney sweeping services cost less than replacing or repairing the chimney liner. 

2. Uncover Hidden Issues

When soot covers the interior walls of a chimney, it can conceal the damage to the chimney walls and liner. For instance, soot often hides cracks in the chimney liner, which is dangerous because such cracks can cause the chimney to collapse. 

Remember that the liner protects your chimney walls from excess heat. Thus, if soot is hiding a crack on the liner, the gap could allow excess heat to penetrate through the liner and damage your chimney walls. In the worst-case scenario, your chimney walls could collapse due to thermal expansion.

Have your chimney swept regularly to uncover such issues early. Chimney cleaning contractors inspect your chimney walls and liner while cleaning. Therefore, they can also let you know about the problems they find so that you can schedule prompt chimney repairs before the worst happens. 

3. Prevent a House Fire

After using a chimney for a long time without sweeping it, creosote accumulates along the interior walls of the chimney. Creosote is a combustible form of tar derived from burning wood and coal. Thus, if an excessive amount of creosote accumulates in the chimney, it only needs a spark to ignite and start a fire. Neglecting to sweep your chimney risks starting a fire due to creosote accumulation. 

Regularly sweeping your chimney ensures creosote doesn't accumulate in the chimney. Hence, periodically hiring chimney sweeping services can help prevent a house fire. 

Contact a professional to learn more about chimney sweeping.