To protect your health and home, all wood-burning appliances and flues should be cleaned and inspected annually by a professional chimney sweep. A failure to clean the flue of combustion byproducts is the cause of over 15,000 home fires a year in the United States. Debris build-up of any kind, including animals and their nests can be kindling for a chimney fire or cause impaired ventilation.
Poor ventilation in the fireplace can make burning more difficult or direct poisonous gasses into your home. Carbon monoxide in your home is a serious health risk and is an important reason why your chimney flue needs to be cleaned annually. Long-term, low-level exposure to carbon monoxide essentially deprives the body of oxygen and will lead to long-term affects on the organs. Elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the blood can cause symptoms of fatigue, depression, body aches, headaches and nausea.