Do You Need to Have Gas Fireplaces Cleaned?

While even new homeowners know that regular cleaning is required for ash and carbon-producing wood fireplaces, there is some question as to whether the increasingly popular gas fireplaces have the same need. After all, they aren’t burning wood, they are burning propane or natural gas, so are they producing the same dangerous creosote that will become a fire hazard if ignored in wood fireplaces?

While gas fireplaces don’t produce creosote, they do still need annual cleaning. Both propane and natural gas are clean burning gas fuels, so they don’t produce the same byproducts as wood, but they can still produce buildup that needs to be cleaned away. However, what chimney owners need to remember is that chimney sweeping and inspection isn’t just for creosote. It is for other potentially problematic buildup as well.

A chimney sweeping in your gas fireplace will help remove items like bird’s nests, animals, and any debris that may have gotten trapped in there as well any potential soot. Furthermore, a chimney sweeping is often also an inspection. This means while your chimney sweep is in cleaning things up, they can spot potential problems early. If you have a leak or a vent that won’t open or close, by catching these potential problems early, the repair for them is often a lot cheaper than if you caught it a few years later.

While gas chimneys often don’t need as much cleaning as their wood counterparts, it doesn’t mean they don’t need any cleaning at all. They are just as vulnerable to other chimney problems and it strongly behooves you to have them cleaned and inspected every year. After all, you chose a gas chimney so you that you didn’t need to worry about ash, wood, and creosote. You don’t want to have to worry about other problems either.

If you have a gas chimney that is ready for a cleaning or needs a repair made, contact us today. Fiddler on the Roof Chimney Service can make sure it is in perfect working order again.