How to Prevent a Chimney Fire

Chimney fires happen a lot more often than most people realize. Many start and go out on their own before anybody knows about them. But even the smallest chimney fire can damage interior parts of the chimney and nearby areas of the home.

Doodlebuggers Fireplace, Grill & Outdoor Store of Pensacola, FL, and Destin, FL, would like to share some helpful information that you can use to prevent both small and devastating chimney fires.

How do chimney fires start?

Most chimney fires start when creosote ignites somewhere within the chimney structure. Creosote is a highly flammable substance that’s produced when smoke naturally condenses in the flue.

Wood fires create smoke, which turns into creosote. You can’t avoid creosote, but you can limit the amount of it in your chimney.

Four ways to reduce the chance of a chimney fire

You can prevent chimney fires or reduce the chance of one happening by following these four proven guidelines.

Have your chimney swept once a year

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and virtually every other chimney and fire safety organization recommend annual chimney cleaning.

Professional chimney sweeps use special brushes, rods, whips, chains, solvents and vacuums to safely remove creosote and soot from chimney systems. This is the only effective way to remove accumulated creosote.

Use a stainless-steel chimney liner

A strong, high-quality stainless-steel chimney liner can withstand high temperatures and protect your home from heat and flames when the fireplace is in use.

Stainless-steel liners also wear better and are known for collecting less creosote than poured-in-place liners and clay tile liners.

Burn only firewood in your fireplace

Your chimney and fireplace were built to handle the smoke and flames from actual firewood, not from other items like:

Pressed board
Plastics and metals
Pieces of furniture
Clothing or any fabric
Colored magazine pages
Scrap wood or treated wood
Household garbage

Believe it or not, people have actually used these and other high-heat, high-smoke items in their fireplaces, always with bad results.

Additionally, never use lighter fluid, charcoal starter, gasoline or other accelerants to start a fire: these fluids can flare up and burn super-hot.

Create less smoke in the fireplace

There are a few ways to do this:

Burn only dry (seasoned) wood, never wood that’s still moist after harvesting.
Opt for hardwoods like maple, oak and beech, which burn better and create less smoke than spruce, pine, juniper and other softwoods.
Ensure a proper draft so logs will burn more completely and with less smoke. Tips: crack a nearby window; turn off exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms during fireplace use.

Signs of a chimney fire

There are three primary signs of a chimney fire you should be aware of:

A rumbling sound like from a distant train
Strange clicking or tapping noises
Excess dense smoke exiting either end of the chimney

If you notice any of these signs, call 911 immediately and get everyone out of the house. Extinguish the fire in the fireplace only if it’s safe to do so. Do not attempt to put out the chimney fire on your own.

We’ll keep your chimney clean and safe

Doodlebuggers specializes in professional chimney sweeping and maintenance designed to keep your chimney running at its safest and best.

If it’s time to have your chimney cleaned, reach a chimney sweeping expert today at (850) 477-1151 in Pensacola, FL, or at (850) 243-0154 in the Destin, FL, area. You can also get in touch with our handy contact form.