The cold chilled air has moved in, the smell of firewood burning is abundant in your neighborhood, cold and excited you rush in to start a warm relaxing fire. There is just something special about the way a warm hypnotic fire can carry your tension away. But wait, are you like the majority of people who have not had their fireplace and chimney inspected since you bought your home?
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends having your chimney and fireplace inspected yearly and cleaned if needed. Many homeowners wonder why a chimney needs to be cleaned. Chimneys are swept to remove residues in the chimney which can block the flue and prevent proper drafting, and to remove flammable deposits which can cause a chimney fire. Burning Wood creates CREOSOTE, a flammable residue that is left in the chimney. The chimney is swept to remove this residue to help prevent chimney fires. Wood smoke occurs because not all the chemicals in wood can be burned by your fireplace. Smoke contains tiny, unburned but flammable solid particles which adhere to the walls of your chimney which are called creosote. As these deposits accumulate, a stray spark from your fire can ignite them causing a chimney fire.
Chimneys are designed as a passageway for smoke which passes through at relatively low temperatures; they are not built to withstand chimney fires, which can burn in excess of 2000 degrees. A chimney fire can destroy the mortar in a masonry chimney which can cause a chimney to collapse or allow the fire to spread to the framing members of your home. Sometimes a first chimney fire will “only” crack the flue tile liners. This situation is dangerous because a subsequent chimney fire now has an easy pathway to the walls of your house, allowing for massively destructive and dangerous house fires.
Gas Logs create a nasty type of soot that, while less flammable, can cause enough buildup to impede draft and allow fumes, including carbon monoxide, to back up into your home and cause a dangerous sooty mess on your walls and furniture.
Another area of concern is mortar crowns. Chimneys are constantly exposed to outdoor weather elements, including extreme temperatures, wind, rain, and lightening. Bricks, mortar, and crowns quickly show signs of deterioration such as cracking, shifting, and leaking water. Chimneys must be repaired periodically too avoid the cost of more expensive major repairs after years of neglect.
Chimney caps, although not required on masonry chimneys, are recommended for the following reasons. Chimney caps protect your home and family by preventing birds and animals from entering the chimney. Their droppings accumulate on the smoke shelf, causing a bad smell and a breeding ground for mites. Grass, paper, sticks, and trash are also imported by these critters for nesting and may block the chimney from venting properly and lead to chimney fires. Apart from animals, rain does a great deal of damage to interior chimney and firebox construction. Rain is also the cause for that “wet campfire” smell and a rusty damper. Chimney caps are also designed to help keep the rain out and the metal screen around the chimney cap is important to contain sparks and cinders from igniting your roof or other surroundings.
Chimney cleaning is done with a combination of chimney brushes to remove the residues in the chimney, and high-tech vacuum cleaners to help assure the cleaning process does not allow a mess into your home. Furnishings and rugs are protected through the use of drop cloths and other dust control methods to further assure a “no mess” job.
So, in closing, how do you keep your fireplace safe? Well, here are a few tips to follow:
Have the chimney inspected and cleaned regularly
Build smaller, hotter fires that burn more completely and produce less smoke.
Use seasoned woods
Install chimney cap if you do not have one in place
Never burn cardboard, wrapping paper, trash, or Christmas trees – these can spark a chimney fire
Source for this article: http://www.burgessinspection.com
