Most fire departments will say you should have your fireplace and chimney cleaned about every 40-50 fires, however there are a couple of different factors that relate to how often you should clean your fireplace and chimney.

1. What type of wood do you burn?  Hard woods such as birch and oak have a tendency to burn cleaner than softer woods such as maple and pine.
2. How hot do you burn your fires?  If you burn big hot fires as opposed to usually just keeping the fire going, you will end up having less creosote build-up over time.

If you are unsure if your chimney needs cleaning or concerned about starting a chimney fire, you should be.  Just 1/4 inch of creosote build-up in the chimney flue liner can ignite and cause a chimney fire. 

If you can't remember or don't know how many fires you've had since last cleaning or what type of wood your are burning it pays to at least have the chimney inspected by an expert to be on the safe side.

If you live in the mpls, st paul, MN area and are in need of a chimney cleaning or have any questions, feel free to visit Twin Cities Furnace Cleaning or give us a call at 612-558-1737.