# How often should I get my oil-burner chimney cleaned? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 23, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-get-my-oil-burner-chimney-cleaned/699344 "2014-09-23T15:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Parthol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Parthol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parthol)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-get-my-oil-burner-chimney-cleaned/699344/1 "2014-09-23T15:48:47Z")
We have oil heat in our home, and the furnace vents through the house’s only chimney. We don’t use a fireplace, so this is the only way in which the chimney gets dirty. A chimney-sweep we’ve used in the past thinks we should get the flue cleaned every year to the tune of $250 a pop. Is it necessary/prudent to have the chimney cleaned so often, when we don’t actually burn any wood? And is $250 a fair price for such a cleaning? The Googles are all over the map on the subject, so I thought I’d see if any Dopers have opinions borne of experience or expertise. We live a few minutes north of Boston, if that informs your opinions. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Parthol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Parthol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parthol)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-get-my-oil-burner-chimney-cleaned/699344/2 "2014-09-24T19:49:57Z")
(This is the one obligatory bump I’ll give this topic, before letting it die a sad and empty death.) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-get-my-oil-burner-chimney-cleaned/699344/3 "2014-09-24T20:05:09Z")
What kind of chimney do you have? We’ve got a metal pipe chimney, with an inspection port at the bottom. The oil company always opens the inspection port as part of the annual cleaning/inspection, and has never told us it needs to be cleaned in the 10 years we’ve lived here. We’re also a few minutes north of Boston, so our heating usage is probably pretty similar to yours. No idea what’s required if you’re using a masonry chimney. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-get-my-oil-burner-chimney-cleaned/699344/4 "2014-09-24T20:47:22Z")
Oh dear lord. Stuff like this is why I rent. But currently I’m in a 2 family house with an absentee landlord. I’ve been in the same place for about 8 years - oil heat, one brick chimney - and I can say with certainty that the chimney has not been cleaned since I got here. I highly doubt it ever got cleaned regularly before I moved in. As soon as my son graduates I’m moving to a managed apartment complex with on site maintenance staff and one phone call for whatever problems arise. Regardless of what responses follow mine I will now worry about chimney fires. Oy. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-get-my-oil-burner-chimney-cleaned/699344/5 "2014-09-25T08:32:13Z")
It should be inspected annually during the annual service call and cleaned when necessary. I had an oil furnace for many years with a metal flu but because the unit was serviced each year, the flu never required cleaning. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-get-my-oil-burner-chimney-cleaned/699344/6 "2014-09-25T17:40:24Z")
We had an oil burner in Maine. We looked in the chimney, and it was obviously completely clean (the house was 3 years old at the time.) Unless something is very wrong with your furnace, I can’t imagine it needs to be cleaned yearly.