If your new home has a dirty chimney, you will want to have it cleaned before you use it. Chimneys are usually cleaned with a large wire brush that scrapes the residue off the inside of the chimney and flue. At the very least you’ll need to have your chimney cleaned every year if you plan to use it.
Ever since Dick Van Dyke bounced from rooftop to rooftop as Bert in Disney's classic film, Mary Poppins, the phrase chimney sweep conjures up images of sooty men speaking with a strong English accent, and resting a long-handled brush over their shoulder.