Chimney Fires! Causes, Signs, and Prevention
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Chimney fires can be the worst nightmare for every homeowner who has a fireplace. It’s a dangerous event that can cause major damage to your home in an instant. Do you know what causes a chimney fire? Signs and how to stop a chimney fire?
If you have a fireplace in your home you must know all the above. Because the number of chimney fires in different countries is alarming, especially in the united states. More than 25,000 chimney fires occur each year, causing more than $ 125 million in property damage.
Chimney fires can be caused mainly by flames moving upwards and negatively affecting your fireplace’s masonry or metal wall. Also, the risk is often seen as a result of not regularly inspecting and repairing fireplaces in the house.
Whatever the reason for the chimney fire, the results are devastating! This article will discuss the causes, signs, stops, and ways to prevent a chimney fire.
What Causes a Chimney Fire?
Chimney fires are horrible things to look at and cause a lot of damage. Flames of fire spread from the top of the fire. A chimney fire is a type of fire that occurs in a fireplace or chimney.
A chimney fire is a common occurrence during the winter and can happen in any home if you are unaware and careless. Chimney fires occur when there is not enough airflow and excessive heat builds up. There are a few notable reasons for this-
Too Much Creosote Build-up
One of the main causes of chimney fires is creosote. Creosote is a highly flammable, dark brown substance coated by frequent fire smoke products and vapor as it moves from a hot cool place to cold ground. This can happen if creosote builds up in the space high enough with temperature or thickness to ignite fires, spreading all over your house.
Incomplete Combustion
Chimney fires usually occur when incomplete combustion of fuel leaks out the top before condensing into tar-like substances known as soot. This is usually the case when ventilation caps are not installed on both ends.
One near where you burn your fuel and another on the chimney flue pipe which needs regular maintenance to keep toxins away from your homes. Also, you need to stack wood properly in the fireplace.
Using Green or Unseasoned Firewood
Many homeowners are not fully aware of how they can avoid chimney fires. Greenwood never burns by adjusting the heat. If you’re using green or unseasoned firewood as well as appliances with insufficient air intake and low operating temperatures for prolonged periods followed by hot fires, then these factors may trigger a devastating incident that will lead your home up in flames.
Effect of Sunlight on Metals
It’s also worth mentioning the strong effect of sunlight on metals like steel and ceramics. It is important to know that the summer sun can seriously impact metal and ceramic materials. The heat from it will cause distortion or even catastrophic failure, leading to chimney fires.
Bird’s Nest in the Chimney
The pile of old, dry bird’s nests that have fallen from the roof has found a new home in your chimney. When you start to light up this evening and an ember hits one of these piles, it will cause smoke and quickly fire because they are so tightly packed together.
You may think that older homes with thick walls can withstand any damage caused by such small accidents; however, when too much heat builds up instead of staying on top or near the opening, then all bets are off- even with those protective layers!
Many people don’t realize that a crack in their chimney flue can create a catastrophic problem if it’s not inspected annually.
Lack of Annual Chimney Inspection
Many people don’t realize that a crack in their chimney flue can create a catastrophic problem if it’s not inspected annually.
A chimney safety institute of certified chimney sweeps it’s extremely important to inspect your fireplace, wood stove, chimney, and venting system once a year. A Chimney Safety Institute of America certified chimney sweep inspector can notify you of any damage as well as help you remove excess soot, bird nests, and other obstacles.
Signs of a Chimney Fire!
Chimney fire scenes can be a terrifying experience. If not checked for too long, they can become more dangerous and cause damage to both property and people. There are some signs that if you notice any of these, you should call your local fire department immediately. They are easily extinguished by their professionals, who are trained on how to deal with these types of fires.
Chimney fires are of two types: fast-burning chimney fires and slow-burning chimney fires.
A fast-burning fire can be caused by an open flame, an open electrical circuit, or other combustion sources. These fires are often difficult to extinguish and can spread quickly throughout the house.
You must know what type of chimney fire extinguisher you are taking. If you think your home is experiencing a rapidly burning chimney fire, you should immediately remove it and call 911.
This is because this type of fire can ignite nearby objects like curtains and furniture or spread the fire throughout the house in a matter of minutes. On the other hand, slowly burning chimneys can take time to fully ignite, while homeowners can take care of extinguishing them themselves.
1. Sign of Fast-burning Chimney Fire
If you have a fast-burning chimney fire in your home, it will be obvious by expressing these common symptoms:
1. Flames or spark: One of the most obvious signs of a chimney fire is a visible flame or spark. Usually, it is seen at the top of the chimney. Sometimes even if you don’t see the flame directly, it can be noticeable by exposing the burning creosote coming from the chimney.
2. High cracking, popping, or roaring noises: when your chimney catches fire, you will hear loud cracking or popping noises from the chimney flue. It sounds like a big fire or a roaring sound similar to a big oncoming car.
3. Lots of smoke: like most fires, fires in chimneys you’ll see lots of thick smoke. It can be seen gently from the top of the chimney or the fireplace of your home with black smoke or lots of thick smoke rising above the fire or chimney.
4. Intense odor: If your home has a strong unusual odor, a strong hot odor, or a burning odor, it could mean your chimney is on fire.
5. Broken or cracked pieces of flue tiles: if you see too many creosotes, broken or cracked pieces of flue or flue tiles on the ground or around the roof it can also be a sign of a fast-burning chimney fire.
2. Sign of Slow-burning Chimney Fire
If you have a slow-burning chimney fire in your home, it may these symptoms can manifest-
1. Cracks and damage: Slowly burning chimney fires can cause damage to various parts of the chimney structure, including flue tiles and external masonry, or to nearby roof structures such as vents or television antennas.
2. Creosote pieces outside the chimney: You can see the creosote pieces outside the chimney, the roof or the ground, or the fireplace. This may be due to a slow-burning chimney fire or signs of excess heat.
3. Color change: If the creosote turns gray or the metallic elements become colorless, it may also be a sign of a slow-burning chimney fire.
4. The melted chimney cap or colorless metallic material: If any metallic material around the chimney appears colorless or has a melted chimney cap, metal damper, or flue liner, it indicates that the metal structure or chimney cap has been damaged by intense heat.
What to Do if You Have a Chimney Fire?
It’s always a good idea to know what to do in case of an emergency. Fires can happen anywhere, and it’s never too early or too late to be prepared for the worst. If you have a fireplace in your home, there is a possibility that it could catch on fire. There are many steps to take and things to do before the fire department arrives so as not to make matters worse.
First and foremost, the best thing to do is to move people and other animals away from the building as soon as possible and no one enters the building until firefighters arrive on the scene and put out the fire. Otherwise, it could cause additional injury or death due to smoker inhalation or carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, some immediate steps need to be taken-
- Call 911 right away if you suspect that your chimney has caught on fire or notice any smoke coming from the top of it
- Turn off all appliances (oven, stove, fireplace, AC unit) in the house that are connected to electricity or gas.
- The first step to fighting a chimney fire is to close all of the air vents and flue dampers. This will reduce the oxygen supply, therefore reducing its intensity.
- To put out an open fire, use water. First, make sure that the area is safe and secure. Then carefully splash your water on the flames until you see them go away.
- Move any fabric or other flammable materials away from the fireplace. Also, move furniture, and ornaments away in case you need to evacuate quickly
- Move any fabric or other flammable materials (furniture, ornaments) away from the fireplace.
- If you have an open fire, then it’s important to block the fireplace opening.
- Ensure that the fire brigade can reach your loft space in case of emergency.
How to Stop a Chimney Fire?
A chimney fire can happen without warning and it’s not just the chimney that needs to be looked at. The fireplace, mantel, hearth, and surrounding areas should also be inspected for any potential hazards. It is important to know how a chimney fire starts so you can take preventative steps to avoid one from happening altogether.
To stop a chimney fire from starting there are many things you can do. Some of the notable are-
Use a Fire Extinguisher
The best strategy for a fast-spreading fire is to use the right equipment. If you can’t put out the flames with water and are not able to evacuate, it’s time to break out your trusty extinguisher! You might think that this will be ineffective but after reading up on how they work, we learned that these suckers shoot air at very high-pressure rates which means no more flame in its tracks.
Close All Openings
When fighting a fire, one should close any primary or secondary openings in the fireplace or chimney. This helps to deprive the fire of oxygen and will put out smaller flames immediately while larger ones can be extinguished for good!
Use Sand or Baking Soda
The most effective way to put out a fire is by using materials like sand or baking soda. These will help starve the flames of oxygen and also keep your home safe!
This is surprisingly easy and it might just save you from the disaster that you had! So, make sure you always keep a bucket of sand by your fireplace! When the worst happens and an emergency is created, it can save lives, which many people don’t know about.
Use a Fire Suppressant
The home can be a dangerous place when it is on fire. But there are resources to help.
If you want something more sophisticated and long-lasting fires may be your best option. They package this product securely so that it has an indefinite shelf life. You’ll have peace of mind without worrying about having products available should anything happen that could save lives someday. But it’s a bit expensive.
Use the Garden Hose Nozzle
With a garden hose in hand and an old-style brass nozzle, you’ll be able to put out any chimney fire.
How to Prevent a Chimney Fire?
Chimney fires are a common but preventable disaster. They can happen at any time of year and in any type of home. These fires are dangerous not only because they may cause damage to your home but also because they emit toxic fumes that can harm anyone in the immediate vicinity.
The best way to avoid a chimney fire is by keeping it clean and properly maintained by a professional with experience handling such situations as well as installing an automatic gas shut-off valve on your stove or fireplace. As well as some more notable work.
Minimize creosote build-up
A chimney is a place where much goes on! When fire byproducts enter the cooler air of the upside-down tube, they settle and create creosote. This flammable substance can catch on to flames that are high enough in temperature or thick with build-up–and if it does spread up through your house’s exhaust pipe then it may cause a fire.
To avoid this from happening altogether, make sure you only burn seasoned hardwood for at least six months and keep moisture content under 20%.
Schedule Chimney Inspection
You often don’t know what’s going on inside your chimney. It could be that there is some flammable material, or the birds have nested in it! These are just a few of the causes of chimney fires which require an inspection at least once per year by a certified cabin sweep during which they will look out for signs of damage such as evidence from previous fire outbreaks and prevent your home or fireplace from fire.
Clean Your Chimney
If you use your finger to scrape a little bit of buildup off the side of a chimney, it’s time for some cleaning. Having a professional chimney cleaning done by professionals is important.
Because it’ll not only help protect your home from fire but also make the fireplace more efficient. You also can use chimney sweep logs. A regular schedule of cleanings will prevent build-up on any part of the chimney and can reduce buildup which can catch the chimney fire.
You should get your chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year. A professional cleaner will use specialized tools like brushes, snorkels, vacuums, or coiled rods to remove buildup from the inside of the chimney that you can’t see.
Use Kindling and Seasoned Wood
Burning the wrong substances in your stove can be hazardous to you and those around you. Never use liquids that are highly combustible or contain chemicals as they may create an explosion, which could result in a chimney fire. Use CSIA-approved logs or seasoned wood only in your fuel or wood stove.
Don’t burn coal if you don’t have a charcoal-burning kindling as it could significantly increase the temperature of the flue and lead to chimney fires. Avoid using cardboard or glossy paper for kindling; both items emit toxic fumes when burned near open flames like wood stoves’ flues.
If you are looking for an alternative to kindling, you can read this article.
Keep the Damper Fully Open
If you want to avoid having a build-up of creosote, it’s important to make sure the damper is fully opened to your fireplace. If not, then restricted air supply can cause creosote. According to the American Chimney Safety Institute, “the longer the smoke’s ‘residence time’ in the flue, the more likely it is that creosote will form.”
Install a Chimney Cap
It’s important to protect your chimney from debris that may cause a fire. A cap on the crown will keep spouts of smoke, leaves, animal nests, or other things out. The cap also prevents back-puffing, leading to an even more dangerous situation with rising heat inside the flue as it enters into the home for another round before exiting again outside through vents in roofs.
The best defense against a chimney fire is to install and maintain an effective cap. By installing the right type of cap, you can protect your home from loss due to flue fires as well as prevent damage caused by rainwater entering through cracks in the crowns around your smokestack openings.
FAQs
Q1: What should I do in the event of a chimney fire?
In the event of a chimney fire, your first step should be to evacuate everyone from the house and call the fire department. If it’s safe to do so, you can also try to extinguish the fire by closing the damper or doors to cut off the fire’s oxygen supply.
Q2: How long can a chimney fire last?
The duration of a chimney fire can vary greatly depending on the amount of creosote build-up and the type of fuel being burned. However, most chimney fires tend to burn out within an hour or two.
Q3: What does it mean when fire is coming out of the chimney?
Fire coming out of the chimney is a clear sign of a chimney fire. This usually happens when there’s excessive creosote build-up in the chimney, which catches fire and causes flames to shoot out of the chimney.
Q4: What is a chimney flue fire?
A chimney flue fire is a fire that occurs within the flue of your chimney. This is often caused by the build-up of creosote, a highly flammable byproduct of burning wood, which can ignite and cause a fire.
Q5: How can I prevent chimney fires when using a wood-burning stove?
To prevent chimney fires when using a wood-burning stove, ensure that you burn only dry, seasoned wood, have your chimney cleaned and inspected regularly, and install a chimney cap to keep out debris and animals.
Q6: Are chimney fires dangerous?
Yes, chimney fires are extremely dangerous. They can cause severe damage to your home, and in worst-case scenarios, they can lead to house fires. It’s crucial to take preventative measures and have your chimney regularly inspected and cleaned.
Q7: What does a chimney fire look like?
A chimney fire can be quite dramatic, with flames or dense smoke coming out of the chimney. You might also hear a loud, rumbling sound that’s similar to a freight train. However, some chimney fires are less obvious, with no visible signs outside the chimney. Regular inspections can help detect these “silent” chimney fires.
Conclusion
The chimney is a crucial part of the fireplace. When it’s not in good working order, you are at risk of having a fire break out from your fireplace and spread throughout your home.
While there is no way to prevent all fires, if you take some simple steps like inspecting and sweeping up with a certified professional, and cleaning the inside of your chimney annually then these risks will be greatly reduced. A well-maintained fireplace can also extend the life of your hearth by preventing cracks that could crack off pieces into flames.
