Removing soot from a chimney
ABOUT SLOOP CONCURRENT
- Nationwide coverage
- Well insured
- All certifications
- Customer-focused
- Skilled workmanship
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- Years of experience
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What is soot and how does it form?
- How Sloop Concurrent works
- The importance of removing soot from a chimney
- About Sloop Concurrent
- Use road marking paint or primer to remove soot
- Want an exact price? Request a quotation
- Removing soot from your chimney yourself
- What customers say about Sloop Concurrent
- Creosote or soot?
- How we remove soot
- Sloop Concurrent: certifications and insurance
- Sloop Concurrent: other popular services
- Need soot removed? Request a quotation
Anyone who regularly uses a fireplace will also encounter soot build-up. Soot is a stubborn deposit that is difficult to remove and keeps coming back. Even so, having it removed regularly is sensible to help prevent chimney fires. If you have had your chimney breast or chimney demolished, you will also want to get rid of any soot left behind. We treat and remove soot professionally and prevent it from returning.
What is soot, and how does it form?
Wood is a carbon-containing fuel. When it does not burn completely, soot forms. The carbon particles become suspended and eventually create stubborn soot deposits in your fireplace flue and chimney. Wood that is too wet is particularly likely to cause soot build-up. It is generally recommended to burn wood with a moisture content of no more than 20%. You can measure this with a moisture meter, or recognise it by white or transparent smoke from the chimney.
How Sloop Concurrent works
Before we start work for you, you will naturally want to know how Sloop Concurrent operates. Below is a simple step-by-step guide. We take care of everything from start to finish.
Request a quote
Request a no-obligation quotation and receive a tailored price within 24 hours.
Schedule the project
If you accept the quote, we will schedule the demolition work with you
Carrying out the work
Our team starts work. We only hand over the project when you are 100% satisfied.
The importance of removing soot from a chimney
Any fireplace used regularly will develop forms of soot:
- Visible soot: black deposits in the chimney breast or on the glass of your fireplace
- Hidden soot, located in the flue or chimney
Visible soot deposits look dirty and can spoil the appearance of your chimney breast. Removing these deposits properly helps freshen it up. Years of accumulated soot can also become visible after demolishing a chimney breast or chimney. Soot is a carcinogenic substance that repeatedly finds its way through plasterwork. It can also produce a very unpleasant smell. It is therefore essential to remove as much soot as possible and treat the surface with a primer before plastering or painting the wall.
Most soot, however, collects in the flue and chimney. Having it removed in good time is extremely important. Most chimney fires are caused by soot inside the chimney, so timely soot removal is essential. Hard or wet soot deposits present a particularly significant fire risk. Glazed soot is another type associated with an increased risk of fire. It is therefore extremely important to have your chimney checked regularly for soot. You can hire a chimney sweep to do this.
About Sloop Concurrent
Sloop Concurrent is a demolition company with nationwide coverage. Our certified demolition teams provide quality, professional demolition work throughout the Netherlands. With several operating bases across the country, we can help you quickly. Our 100 skilled demolition workers are happy to assist, and our efficient way of working allows us to offer demolition services at affordable prices.
Every day, we help private and commercial customers demolish, renovate and repair a range of structures. This includes complete demolition, but our experienced team is equally capable of removing a load-bearing wall or chimney. We confidently describe ourselves as a full-service demolition company.
Use road-marking paint or primer to remove soot
Soot is a stubborn deposit that keeps returning. You may already have noticed that painting over it does not work. Soot repeatedly bleeds through paint or plaster. It is therefore important to seal the soot stain before painting. The best way to seal soot is with white road-marking paint or a two-component primer or stain blocker.
White road-marking paint is slightly more expensive than ordinary paint, but this type of paint is unfortunately essential. Choose white road-marking paint with good coverage and the RAL 9016 designation. The amount of paint you need depends on the surface. Good white road-marking paint offers the following benefits:
- Good coverage and sealing properties
- The road-marking paint will remain visible for at least 3 years
- A hard top layer that seems almost indestructible
Do you have questions about which paint to buy, or would you like someone to do the work for you? Please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to help.
Want an exact price? Request a quote
Would you like to know what the demolition will cost? Request a quotation with no obligation and receive it by email within 24 hours. Would you prefer us to prepare a quotation on site? That is no problem at all!
Removing chimney soot yourself
Would you like to remove a chimney yourself? In principle, this is a job you could carry out yourself. There are two ways to remove soot from your chimney.
From top to bottom: You can remove soot via the roof, but make sure you work safely. This is the easiest way to remove soot from your chimney. It is done using a rope and weight with a brush attached. As mentioned, this is a dangerous job, and you need to make sure the dust is caught in your living room, as a considerable amount of dirt will come down. We therefore recommend leaving a job like this to a professional.
From bottom to top: Would you prefer to work from the bottom of the chimney? This is considerably safer. The only disadvantage is that you will need the appropriate tools, such as a chimney sweeping kit with a brush and extension rods. Adding extension rods lets you clean progressively higher up the chimney.
What customers say about Sloop Concurrent
Sloop Concurrent would be nowhere without its customers. This is what our customers have to say about us.
Creosote or soot?
Ordinary soot has a powdery consistency and can be removed from a flue fairly easily. Creosote is also soot-like, but it consists of clumped deposits and a tar layer. It is therefore much thicker and resembles tar more closely. Creosote is not easy to remove, so we advise hiring a professional company such as Sloop Concurrent. It is extremely flammable, and naturally you want to prevent a fire at all costs.
Creosote forms when wood burns incompletely. This happens when the combustion temperature is too low for the wood to ignite properly. Another common problem is the cooling of flue gases. As these gases condense, creosote mixes with the existing soot, allowing a tar-like layer known as creosote to develop.
Want to know whether your chimney contains soot or creosote? Arrange a no-obligation inspection by a Sloop Concurrent tradesperson.
How we remove soot
After a chimney breast or chimney is demolished, a layer of soot often remains. This has accumulated over years, sometimes decades. Soot is hazardous because it is carcinogenic, and persistent because it bleeds through paint and plaster.
We tackle the soot layer professionally, leaving a clean, smooth and neatly finished wall.
How we remove soot depends on the surface and your preferred wall finish. In the example below, we assume a masonry wall, as this is the most common situation in practice.
- Step 1: Removing the old wall finish
After a chimney breast and chimney are demolished, pieces of the old wall finish often remain. We therefore first remove old plaster, wallpaper or paint. The wall is now completely bare, often exposing the brickwork. - Step 2: Cleaning the wall
Before applying primer, we clean the wall thoroughly to improve adhesion. We make sure the wall is dry and free from grease and dust.
- Step 3: Applying a stain-blocking primer
As explained earlier, soot bleeds through plaster. We therefore first seal soot stains with a primer. If the surface is absorbent, 2 or 3 coats may be needed.
- Step 4: Finishing
Once the primer has cured, we can finish the wall. Our plasterer will apply new plaster, paint or tile the wall, entirely to your wishes.
Sloop Concurrent: certifications and insurance
When you ask Sloop Concurrent to carry out your demolition work, you can look forward to a pleasant working relationship. Sloop Concurrent is well insured. We hold CAR insurance, or Construction All Risks insurance, covering material damage arising during the construction or installation of buildings, roads, bridges and systems. We have never had to make a claim on this insurance, but we prefer to be on the safe side.
Sloop Concurrent is also an accredited training company, training the skilled tradespeople of the future. All our demolition workers are trained in-house, and we do not subcontract our work. This is reflected both in the total cost and in the final result.
Asbestos must always be considered when demolishing structures. We therefore hold dNAA certification, which allows us to remove asbestos. We do so safely and responsibly.
Sloop Concurrent: other popular services
Demolition is work we carry out with passion and expertise. Below are some of the services our customers choose most often.
Need soot removed? Request a quotation
Would you like stubborn soot removed from your chimney or chimney breast? Request a tailored, no-obligation quotation below. We clean several chimneys every day. We aim to provide a personalised quotation for your demolition project within 24 hours.
Sloop Concurrent
Olivierstraat 16, 2021BL Haarlem
Sloop Concurrent · Olivierstraat 16, Haarlem
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