Heatilater

QuestionEdit

QUESTION: Hi John I'm in the process of selling our house so we had the chimney cleaned today.The sweeper informed me that it may not pass inspection due to the heatilater.Apparently when the chimney is swept the material falls behind the insert.My husband and I have refaced the brick with a wood mantle and marble facing and hearth.The heatilater was disconnected at that time.Is there any way to clean behind it or easily remove it or is it even an issue?Your help would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER: after cleaning the sweep should have vacuumed the "shelf" behind the damper. all that he cleaned down is still very flammable and can catch fire, call them back and ask them to vacuum off that shelf. If they wont do it I would have a local Certified Chimney Sweep www.csia.org, (there you can look up by zip code to find one near you) take a first hand look at what you have they should be able to help.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi James for your prompt response.This heatilater is over 20 years old and the sweep said the design didn't allow cleaning.Is this true? Also before he even started he told me I don't do the inside box after the chimney is swept.Is this common practice or is it because it was a free cleaning do to the fact we'd purchased a new furnace from the company.Again so much for your help!Cindy

AnswerEdit

Welcome back Cindy, if the damper opens then they should have gotten a hose up behind the damper to vacuum off the shelf. If they did not then they left flammable creosote up there that could catch fire. if sounds like they just did a quick cleaning "free cleaning", no this is not the right way to clean it, are they a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild or Certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America? if so then you can report them, www.CSIA.org and NCSG.org if not then find a certified sweep (CSIA.org) and have it re cleaned. Sounds like he told you ahead of time "we don't do inside the box" or we will be doing half a job and then did half a job. not all sweeps are like this