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What does creosote look like?
Short answer
It’s a black or brown buildup inside the chimney. It can be flaky like soot, sticky like tar, or hard and shiny like glaze. The shiny kind is the hardest to remove and the most dangerous.
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Official sources
- U.S. Fire Administrationusfa.fema.gov
- NFPA: fire safetynfpa.org