If you lived in a house with a wood-burning fireplace or stove, it would be natural to check and inspect the chimney regularly to be able to clean it in time. But since most of us dwell in houses that have either a gas furnace or another gas appliance as a method of heating, regular inspections seem to be way less important.
However, checking the furnace now and then and cleaning its chimney is also a must just like we would do with the wood-burning stove!
Gas Furnace Chimney: How Often And When to Clean
If your gas furnace is working generally well, then inspecting it once a year is more than enough for ensuring the system runs fine. However, if the heating system is already old enough, it might need a repeated check once again during the year.
The best season for such an inspection is spring: this is the time when the heating season is over and the chimney can finally rest. And since you will most likely not use it until autumn, checking the pipes and chimney now would be the best.
As an option, however, you are free to shift that inspection for autumn and have it done right before the heating season. Or, in case your heating system is rather old and requires more attention and supervision, it would be preferable to perform the check twice a year, both in spring and before the heating season begins.
Why We Should Clean Gas Chimney Regularly
When dealing with the wood-burning heating system, it is clear why and what for it must be checked and cleaned. Wood creates creosote, a highly flammable substance that tends to sit on the chimney walls and may lead to serious danger.
But what about the gas alternative? What could make the heating system based on this fuel hazardous?
Indeed, gas is considered to be a clean fuel, however, several issues exist that put the gas furnaces at the risk. And this is why we should inspect this kind of furnaces and their chimneys regularly:
- Gas furnaces produce water vapors that are released in a flue. Those vapors contain hydrochloric acid which tends to build up inside of the chimney leading to a build-up development that will later result in corrosion and damage.
- Leaves and other debris may form a build-up that will become a cause of obstruction.
- There can be cracks and other damages that might be hazardous for the safe operation of the heating system.
- A chimney that is unable to properly vent may get filled with harmful and even deadly vapors that can leak back into your house!
- Finally, such a common threat as animals or birds nesting in a flue must not be excluded.
Since the blockage caused by any of these factors may lead to very serious damage and even life-threatening situations, it is essential to give it a throughout check and proper cleansing at least once a year.
