If your fireplace hasn’t been used or cleaned in a while, it’s common for it to be obstructed by soot and other kinds of blockages. The worst part is that you can’t smoke these blockages out by lighting a fire, since this could result in combustion.
The purpose of getting your chimney swept is to keep it clean of obstructions that could turn into a fire hazard when your fireplace is lit. Here’s why you should get your chimney cleaned at least once annually, before the first fire of the year.