Mechanical Cleaning

Mechanical Chimney Cleanings are recommended when routine cleaning will not remove the creosote build up from the interior of the chimney flue. This is often seen when a wood burning fireplace is not maintained as often as necessary for the burn habits of the homeowner. This can cause a dangerous build up called "Glazed Creosote" on the flue walls and other areas inside the fireplace. Glaze creosote is very dangerous due to the fact that it can ignite at low temperatures leading to a chimney fire or a high heat event. 

It is imperative that regular and routine maintenance be performed on all fireplace and chimney systems. It is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association and CSIA that chimneys and fireplaces are inspected annually and cleaned as necessary. It is important to keep in mind that, if you are burning large quantities or low quality/non-aged/soft wood, you may require cleaning multiple times throughout the burning season. 

What To Expect: 

Often, we find that a chimney requires a mechanical cleaning when we have been called out for a standard cleaning and inspection. While we only come across several mechanical cleanings needed annually, we do see them as being necessary in certain circumstances where a traditional cleaning is not able to remove the glazed creosote. Mechanical cleanings utilize cable whips and/or chains to break out and remove glazed creosote from the walls of the chimney flue. Debris from the cleaning is then removed by a Triple Hepa Filtered Vacuum, and all of our cleanings, standard or mechanical, are followed by a Level II inspection.

Level II Inspections are crucial after a mechanical cleaning is performed to ensure the system has not experienced a chimney fire or high heat event that has caused damage to the internal flue system. 

Mechanical cleanings, unfortunately, do not fall into our standard chimney cleaning cost as the service on average requires multiple technicians and several hours to be completed. Once a mechanical cleaning is noted as being necessary, Pratt’s technicians will provide an estimate for the mechanical chimney cleaning to be completed. 

Scheduling Your Mechanical Cleaning: 

Once an estimate is provided and agreed upon, we will request that a signed copy of your proposal be returned to the office. Once received, we will schedule a technician and crew to complete your fireplace and chimney mechanical cleaning.