The Risks of Creosote

When owning a fireplace we must be aware of the risks as well as the maintenance that is involved to keep the fires burning safely and efficiently. Knowing the risks of burning wood in your fireplace is important to the safety of your burning season. Let’s discuss the risks that come along with the use of the fireplace.

Creosote, What Is It? 

A byproduct of combustion fumes that is tar-like in texture. It is created when wood is burned. When the smoke from burned wood escapes the chimney, the condensation from the burned wood produces a deposit called creosote. This substance is a tarry brown-black substance that collects on the flue lining. Creosote is not only very flammable but also toxic if inhaled. 

When wood is burned creosote starts to build up on the lining of your chimney. There are three types of creosote build-up. Depending on which type you have in your chimney will determine what is needed to remove it. Let us discuss the three types.

Types of Build-up of Creosote.

Type I – This is the least dangerous. It is a collection of flaky substances that can easily be removed by our technicians with their basic cleaning bruises.

Type II – The creosote becomes thicker and sticky, still having a flake-like texture. Our professionals will use a brush that is made for chimney cleaning and a scraper if needed to get your chimney clean.

Type III – This is the highest degree of creosote buildup. The substance is thicker and resembles tar. The technician may see that the entire chimney liner has a complete coating of creosote. We have professional equipment suited for this type of build-up. 

Our team at Doodlebuggers can tackle any level of creosote build-up. Contact us for your inspection and cleaning.

How To Prevent Creosote

You cannot prevent creosote altogether. However, you can slow down the production. Here are some tips.

• Burn well-seasoned wood. Season your wood for at least 6 months, but as long as a year. The longer the better. Moisture in wood can cause condensation, causing creosote.
• Burn hardwood such as oak, ash, birch, or hickory. Burning hardwoods will burn cleaner and hotter. 
• Burn controlled fires. Keep your fire hot, but not blazing. 
• Allow proper ventilation. Proper ventilation is important. Make sure your damper is open and the air is flowing. Open your glass doors if you have them.
• Inspection and chimney sweep annually. 

To avoid the dangers that come along with creosote buildup it is important to book an annual inspection and chimney sweep. The structure of your chimney is important as well. The inspection will keep you up to date with any repairs as they are needed.

Call Doodlebuggers to book your chimney sweep today.

Our technicians are not subcontractors they are true employees of the company. They go through a rigorous process to learn every detail of all of our services. Most of our technicians are cross-trained and certified in many designations including the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) to name a couple.

They must earn these designations via national standardized testing. This is not something to take lightly; we want to ensure they know what they are doing while they are serving your property. Contact us today!