Dan Olsen, of Top Hat Chimney Sweep Fireplace Solutions in Blue Earth, travels around Faribault County and the surrounding area to help people with any and all of their fireplace needs. He is pictured above with his signature top hat.

As the winds get cooler, and the leaves fall faster, it is that time of year where people begin to start using their fireplaces and chimneys again. But, before you even light a match for a roaring fire, it is important to make sure your chimney and fireplaces are in good, working order.

That’s where Dan Olsen, of Top Hat Chimney Sweep, comes in. He is Faribault County’s go-to chimney sweep. Olsen, who grew up in the Blue Earth area, has had his chimney and fireplace business in Blue Earth for close to 20 years and says he gets more new customers every year.

Not only does Olsen clean chimneys and fireplaces, he also helps families remodel their fireplaces, hearths and even does stove and oven installation.

“The company has evolved over the years and whether people are remodeling their fireplace, getting a gas fireplace installed, or just have questions about their own fireplace, I’m here to help and make things easier,” says Olsen.

With the arrival of fall last week, Olsen says it is time to prepare flues and fireplaces for the cold-coming months.

“The first thing you want to do is you want to make sure you have air flow and that your chimney is clear,” says Olsen. He has seen many a critter crawl down into the chimney anything from bats and squirrels to raccoons and even ducks.

That is where the importance of chimney covering comes in. Olsen says having a mesh cover for the top of your chimney keeps unwanted animals and debris out, while still giving smoke and ash the escape route they need.

Olsen says if the flue of your chimney is 11 inches by 10 inches, that is how much air that needs to be flowing through the house in order for the fireplace to work properly.

“I’ve seen people who have had new windows installed or insulation put into their homes and tell me that their fireplace won’t hold a fire anymore. That’s because fire needs air,” says Olsen. Even if it is from across the house or a window cracked open the slightest bit, Olsen says a fire needs air to combust properly.

It is Olsen’s labor of love that helps families within a 50-plus mile radius of Blue Earth get their chimneys in tip top shape to have warmth around the hearth during the chilliest seasons of the year.

In one year, Olsen can do over 200 fireplaces. And in the time he’s had his business, Olsen has only received one complaint about his work. That’s over 3,000 happy customers.

On average, a chimney cleaning takes about an hour for Olsen, sometimes more, sometimes less. He says he’s even had homeowners leave their house unlocked for his services and they did not even notice he was there.

“A lot of people assume that you need to evacuate the house or cover furniture and that’s not true,” says Olsen, “if it’s done properly.”

Chimney sweeping requires many special tools which Olsen gets from specific vendors, however, Olsen does say that cleaning a chimney can be a do-it-yourself project.

“Only if you know what you’re doing,” says Olsen. “If you have had the chimney for many years, and you clean it on a yearly basis, which you should do, then you probably know a thing or two about cleaning one. But if you haven’t cleaned a chimney by yourself, maybe wait a few years to take it on without the help of a professional.”

Which brings up another important aspect of chimney care. Olsen says your fireplace should be cleaned once a year.

“You get a yearly visit to the doctor, you take your car in for a tune up, the same thing goes for your chimney,” says Olsen. “And it’s extremely important because if a fireplace is not taken care of and cleaned properly, that’s when fires can happen.”

Along with a good cleaning, fireplaces should also be insured.

If you’ve recently purchased a home with a fireplace, Olsen says he is more than willing to come and show new homeowners how to properly use their fireplace.

“I love being able to help families out with fireplaces. It’s not as simple as throwing wood into a hole and lighting a match,” says Olsen. “There are no stupid questions.”

Unfortunately, there are times that Olsen comes into the home to be the bearer of bad news.

“Sometimes chimneys can be inoperable, and I hate having to say that, but it’s for your safety,”?says Olsen, whose biggest priority is safety when it comes to fireplaces.

He also shares a few other helpful hints:

Do not have your first fire on Christmas Eve.

“You want to make sure you’ve had a few fires in your fireplace before Christmas,” Olsen says. “If you are unaware of an unseeable problem, you could have a very smokey Christmas.”

On that same jolly holiday note, Olsen warns not to put wrapping paper in your fireplace.

“Wrapping paper is made with petroleum to make those bright pretty colors and designs,” he says, “and that petroleum is extremely flammable.”

Use firewood that has been dried for at least a year.

“Any wet firewood in a fireplace is going to cause lots of issues for the chimney, so it’s very important you have dry firewood,” Olsen says.

Keep your Christmas tree far from the fireplace if you plan to ever use the fireplace during the yule-tide season.

“You have seen what can happen if christmas lights ignite a tree,” says Olsen. “Imagine what an actual fire could do to the tree.”

Always keep an eye on your fire until it is completely out.

“It may seem like a no brainer,” he says, “but that’s is when some of the worst accidents happen.”

Avoid clutter, not only in your home, but around your fireplace as well.

“Anything can fall or tip into a fireplace,” warns Olsen. “Who knows if an ember can ignite something that is flammable or toxic to the home.”

Know the anatomy of your chimney and how it works.

“You have to know how to control your fire before you set one,” Olsen says.

Having a fireplace can bring class, elegance, and warmth into any home, and with today’s technology, fireplaces can easily be remodeled, restored, or installed.

“And cleaned,” adds Olsen.