It is sometimes difficult to know how to properly maintain things when you are not an expert on that product. To know how to look after your chimney though, you don’t need to be an expert, you just need to be well informed.

Your chimney should be cleaned regularly, about once a year on average, but if it is used a great deal or it is left for long periods of non-use then it should be cleaned more often. You can hire a chimney sweep to clean your flue and he will be able to recommend any maintenance needed also.

To get the most out of your chimney you should ensure that it is fully lined and insulated. There are many different liners available and it can be difficult to know which one to choose. Some are designed for multi-fuel systems and some just for oil or gas appliances. Some liners are flexible but you can also get shaped chimney liners. The flexible ones are good for chimneys which have a kink or are offset. The shaped ones can maximize the area inside the chimney, so instead of using a circular liner in a rectangular chimney you can insert a rectangular liner. It is advised to have your liner insulated as this keeps the gases inside the flue hotter, thus they travel up faster increasing the draw up the chimney.

If you follow these guidelines then your heating will be more efficient and cost-effective.