This includes checking for cracks and fallen bricks. For safety’s sake, do not use your chimney until it is checked by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep. Oak and other hardwoods make good firewoods.

Even worse, dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires. Yet with the right tools, an assistant, and a couple of hours of dry weather, you can clean your own chimney.

Glen Simmons of Sleep Easy Chimney Sweepers said his company is keeping busy this time of year. "We probably do 65 percent of our business in the next four months," he said.

David Leaming/Morning Sentinel “John looks at it every year. I don’t want any chimney fires,” Hilton said. “Having a clean stove and a clean chimney provides a great sense of security.” ...

“It burns over 1200 degrees; it takes a little bit to catch, but once it does catch, it is very hard to put out,” East Texas Chimney Sweep manager Steven Gonzalez says. Gonzalez cleans hundreds of ...