Santa isn’t as young as he used to be and I think he put on a little extra weight this year. Getting down those chimneys is hard enough as it is, so if you have a chimney for your fireplace, make sure that it has been cleaned before you use it this season.
According to my sources at the North Pole, a chimney used for a wood burning should be swept and inspected at least once a year by a WETT certified Person. WETT stands for Wood Energy Technology Transfer. People that are WETT certified are also Santa Approved! They have been trained in the cleaning and inspection of chimneys and they often can do any repairs if needed.
The flammable deposits, such as creosote, should be cleaned out. Creosote, is that black stuff that sticks to the sides of the chimney. A spark from the fire could ignite it and cause a chimney fire. Two other common repairs are to dampers that no longer work properly and the removal of blockages in the flue. Just like we wouldn’t want smoke to get stuck on the way up, we want a clear passage for Santa on the way down.
Old brick fireplaces may need a metal liner. Some older homes had coal burning fireplaces, which didn’t burn the same way wood does and may not have the proper clearances. Today, they might be mistaken for a wood burning fireplace and that may not be safe. If you cannot burn wood in the coal burning fireplaces, chemical logs might be okay but consult with your chimney professional first. If you bought a home with a gas insert into a wood fireplace, the damper MUST be fixed in the open position. If you don’t know if that was done properly, you may want to have that inspected too.
Santa will appreciate the work you’ve done and it will be one more reason for you to be on Santa’s Nice List this year! Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year Too!