Question from P
The lease on my new rental says I have to pay to get the chimney cleaned upon my move-in and show the receipt. (Apparently this is the silly practice–you pay to clean up after the previous tenant, and then you leave it dirty when you move out. Of course, I don’t plan on using it, but whatever!) Are the cleaning products chimney sweeps use toxic?
Debra’s Answer
There are no chemicals used to clean chimneys. A high speed rotary “brush” expands scrubs the entire flue area, the smoke chamber above the damper, and the firebox. A vacuum is set up at the bottom to collect all the dust and debris before it enters your home. I had my chimney cleaned some years ago when I lived in California and had a chimney. There was no odor.
