The primary job of a chimney service professional is to aid in the prevention of fires related to fireplaces, wood stoves, gas, oil and coal heating systems and the chimneys that serve them. Wood burning heating systems, in particular, require careful monitoring and skillful operation. Chimney Sweeps install, clean and maintain these systems, evaluate their performance, prescribe changes to improve their performance, and educate the consumer about their safe and efficient operation. The basic task of a chimney sweep is to clean chimneys. Cleaning means removing the hazard of accumulated and highly combustible creosote produced by burning wood and wood products. Cleaning also means eliminating the build-up of soot in coal and oil-fired systems, getting rid of bird and animal nests, leaves and other debris that may create a hazard by blocking the flow of emissions from a home heating appliance. In doing their primary job, Sweeps also function as on-the-job fire prevention specialists. They are constantly on the lookout for unsafe conditions that can cause home fires or threaten residents with dangerous and unhealthy indoor air quality. Level 1 inspections are performed on every chimney and heating appliance that we clean. Level II inspections are much more thorough and in-depth and are performed when there is evidence of abnormalities. Level II inspection is performed for all home sale Inspections. Level III inspections include external and internal portions of the heating system and may include removal of structure components and/or to determine damage cause or where hazardous conditions are detected. Creosote is a natural by-product of burning wood. It can be defined as a combustible deposit originating as condensed wood smoke, including tar, vapors, and other organic compounds. Creosote is highly flammable, and the chief business of a chimney cleaning is to remove creosote from the chimney. We use a guaranteed no mess cleaning method. First, we place tarps on the floor in front of the fireplace and high-traffic areas. The chimney is then cleaned from the bottom, and work our way up. We use specialized tools, including brushes, specialty vacuums to clean every component of your chimney; the firebox, smoke chamber, damper, smoke shelf (located behind the damper), and flue liner. This process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on how much creosote has built up in your chimney and how much time has elapsed between cleanings.