How Often Do You Need to Clean Your Chimney?

While having a fireplace in your home is a treat, it also requires some responsibility. Clean your fireplace and its chimney regularly to keep your family safe and energy bill low. We’ll walk you through exactly how often to clean the chimney—as well as the best time of the year and how you can tell if it’s due for service.

Why It’s Important to Clean Your Chimney

You should routinely clean your chimney to remove the buildup of soot and creosote. Creosote is especially flammable. With enough buildup, it can catch fire and result in a contained chimney fire or engulf your entire home in flames.

Regularly cleaning out your fireplace and chimney will also help it burn hotter and heat more efficiently, which will help lower your heating costs during the colder months. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, even one-tenth of an inch of soot can drop the heat transfer efficiency by 50 percent.

And if you have a wood-burning fireplace, a clean chimney is essential. Blockages can prevent carbon monoxide, a dangerous gas sometimes referred to as the “silent killer,” from properly venting through your chimney flue. High concentrations can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, with symptoms like fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and death. 

While cleaning your chimney will help you avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, you should install a carbon monoxide detector near your fireplace to be safe. If there’s one already installed, test your carbon monoxide detector to ensure it’s working properly.

How Often to Clean Your Chimney

One of the most essential chimney maintenance tips is to clean it thoroughly at least once a year. That guidance comes from both the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

These are general guidelines, however. If you use your fireplace more regularly, it will likely need to be cleaned more than once a year. The CSIA alternatively recommends monitoring soot buildup inside the fireplace; once it’s about ⅛ of an inch thick, it’s time for a cleaning.

While it’s possible to clean a brick fireplace yourself, the entire chimney needs a professional cleaning and chimney inspection, for which you can hire a local chimney sweep.

When to Clean Your Chimney

The ideal time to clean your chimney is in the spring, summer, or early fall at the latest. You want to complete it before the temperatures drop so that it’s sparkling clean and ready to take on the fire-burning season without a hiccup.

Based on data from Angi customers, the highest number of chimney sweep bookings occur in October and November, as many homeowners rush to have their chimneys cleaned before they light the first fire of the season. May or June have the least demand, but booking a professional well in advance is always best, no matter the time of year.

In fact, hotter months are better for chimney cleaning because the dry air makes it easier to remove creosote buildup. A spring or summer inspection also allows you enough time to handle any necessary repairs before the cold season. Chimney repair costs around $500 on average, depending on the extent and type of damage.

Signs Your Chimney Needs Cleaning

Planning for annual inspections and cleanings make it easy to stay on top of chimney maintenance, but it’s important to watch for common signs that it’s time to clean your chimney outside of your yearly schedule. In fact, many homeowners use their chimney often enough that an annual cleaning just won’t cut it.

Here are some ways you’ll know if your chimney is due for a cleaning:

You Can See the Soot Buildup

Every now and then, inspect your chimney to see how much soot and creosote are building up. We recommend wearing gloves and safety goggles for your protection.

The CSIA says to clean your chimney once there’s an ⅛ of an inch of sooty buildup. You don’t have to go in there with a measuring tool, however; just eyeball it and schedule a cleaning if the soot is noticeable.

You’re Having Trouble Lighting Fires

If you’re suddenly having trouble lighting a fire—or keeping it lit—that could indicate some kind of blockage in the chimney or a high level of creosote buildup. Either way, it’s a good idea to have your chimney inspected and cleaned.

There’s a Strange Smell

If you notice a foul odor coming from your fireplace or simply the smell of campfire, that means a blockage is preventing proper venting. Smoke may also be filling the room in this case—another sure sign that it’s time to clean your chimney.

There’s Evidence of Animal Activity

Animals like the safety that a chimney provides, but they’re unwelcome guests in your home! Here’s how to get an animal out of your chimney, though for most homeowners, we recommend hiring a professional to remove the animal and clean the chimney.

How Much Does Chimney Cleaning Cost?

The average chimney cleaning cost is between $130 and $380. Chimney sweeps may charge by the hour or they could offer a flat rate based on the level of cleaning needed. Hourly costs average $65 per hour, while flat rates range from $80 for a basic chimney check up to $5,000 for a thorough inspection and clean.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro for Cleaning Your Chimney

Tackling chimney maintenance on your own isn’t the safest course of action. Because creosote buildup is so dangerous, it’s best to leave thorough chimney cleaning to a trained professional. 

Although we recommend hiring a local chimney sweep to clean your chimney, there are a few things you can do yourself. Between professional cleanings, clean your fireplace and visually inspect it for buildup. Scrape your fireplace poker on the inside of your chimney. If you find a one-eighth-inch layer of buildup, call a pro.

You’ll know when to hire a chimney sweep if you notice heavy creosote buildup near your fireplace or if it’s time for your annual cleaning. But how do you hire a chimney sweep?

Start your search by looking for the best chimney sweeps near you and consider asking friends, family members, and neighbors for their personal recommendations to find someone reliable. You can check with the CSIA to see if they’re certified.