Maintenance is the key. You can’t completely prevent creosote since it is a natural result of combustion. That is why it is critical that your chimney be professionally cleaned at least once a year with normal use. There are certain things that people unwittingly do that actually accelerate creosote accumulation. Some people try to make the fire last longer by cutting off most of the air supply. This does make the fire slow down but it also increases creosote which is what smoke becomes as it deposits soot on the walls of the chimney. Some people also burn firewood that is "green" (high moisture content). Water, when vaporized, expands 1,700 times in size and acts as a cooling agent. Burning green wood cools the fire and the smoke allowing creosote to build up faster. Remember these key points:
- Have your chimney professionally cleaned at least once a year (more often with heavy use)
- Burn only seasoned dry wood
- Keep your fires active and hot to keep the products of combustion moving up the chimney. Remember that the longer smoke is in the chimney the more likely it will build creosote on the walls of the chimney
- Never burn trash, plastic or paper in your stove or fireplace since this can ignite creosote in your chimney