A frigid blast of winter means it’s time to throw a log on the fire. Before you roast even one marshmallow over a warm blaze, consider contacting a chimney sweep.
The soot from fires ignited in previous years builds up inside a fireplace and chimney and may present a fire hazard, said H. “Chief” Krueger, owner of the Chimney Chief in Bolingbrook. There may be other things in the chimney as well that the addition of heat won’t improve, Krueger has found.
For the past seven years, Krueger, a former chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy, has climbed to the highest suburban rooftops to clean the tallest of chimneys. The sweeps in the film “Mary Poppins” tap-danced across London’s rooftops, but Krueger keeps his fancy footwork to a minimum. Safety for himself and for his customers is a top priority, he said.
Q. Are you afraid of heights?
A.I’m a little afraid of heights. It’s an advantage for me. It makes me cautious. I’m not like Dick Van Dyke (in “Mary Poppins”), dancing and singing. Well, maybe a little singing–to myself.
Q. What do you wear?
A. I wear dark clothes and a top hat. Neighbors like to see a (chimney sweep wearing a) top hat on the roof. I don’t wear tails. I feel like it’s a dangerous situation. Your tails could get caught.
Q. What’s the strangest thing you have found inside a chimney?
A. A lady had a terrible, dead odor in her house. After two years, she called me. I pulled eight dead squirrels from her chimney. I think I must hold the record for the number of dead squirrels (pulled from a chimney). They were in various stages of decay.
