It’s very messy to clean a chimney, but it ought to be done regularly to remove built-up creosote and soot, which can catch fire or obstruct the air flowing through your chimney. Restricted airflow can cause your fireplace to operate poorly and sometimes cause soot and ash to blow back into your house.

It’s often wise to hire a chimney sweep for this job, but you can do it yourself if it’s possible for you to work safely up on the roof and you can reach the top of the chimney.

Cover the mouth of your fireplace by taping plastic sheeting across it. Use old sheets or drop cloths to protect nearby rugs and furnishings. Plan to wear a dust mask, gloves, and goggles to protect yourself from the dust, ash, and soot.

You’ll need:
* A steel chimney-sweeping brush
* A rope the length of the flue and the chimney
* A water-filled plastic jug to serve as a weight for the brush
* A heavy-duty vacuum cleaner

Carefully climb onto the roof, and if the chimney has a cap or spark catcher attached to the top, remove it. Tie the water-filled jug to the bottom end of the chimney brush and the long rope to the top end. Lower the weight and brush down into the chimney—all the way to the bottom—and then pull it back up. Pass it through several times until it comes up relatively free of debris. Let the dust settle, and then vacuum out soot and debris that has fallen into the fireplace.

If your chimney isn’t equipped with a damper, costly heated air is being drawn out through the chimney every day. Have a mason install a damper inside the chimney, or mount a special chimney cap on top that includes a damper.