HOW CAN I PREVENT A CHIMNEY FIRE?

Chimney fire:  those two words can strike fear in the heart of anyone that burns wood.  There are over 25,000 chimney fires every year in the U.S.  The bottom line is that dirty chimney’s cause chimney fires.  And chimney fires damage structures, destroy homes and can seriously injure or kill people.  The good news is chimney fires can be prevented.

THE PURPOSE OF A CHIMNEY

The chimney that’s connected to your fireplace or wood burning stove has a critical job.  Chimneys remove the by-products of combustion.

These by-products from burning wood include water vapor, smoke, carbon monoxide, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbons and other assorted minerals.  Condensation occurs as these substances move from the fireplace or stove, up the chimney system.  The further up the chimney, the cooler it becomes.  The result is a residue that sticks to the inner walls of the chimney.  This residue is called creosote.

WHAT DOES CREOSOTE LOOK LIKE?

creosoteCreosote can be black or brown in appearance.  It can be flaky and crusty or sticky and similar to the appearance of tar.  Creosote can be hardened or it can be shiny.  One thing is for sure:  whatever it looks like, creosote is highly flammable.  It is extremely dangerous if it is allowed to build up in your chimney.  Furthermore, as little as ¼” of creosote built up in your chimney will create a fire hazard.

So, the next logical question is how do I prevent creosote from building up in my chimney?  Your WE LOVE FIRE expert has a few tips for both the seasoned wood hound and those less experienced with burning wood.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

First, be sure you burn only dry, seasoned wood.  This does not mean burning trash, garbage or cardboard.  Never burn wrapping paper or pine boughs.  This does not mean cutting the wood today and burning it next week or even next month.

Burning dry wood does mean to cut it, split it, stack it, protect it from snow and rain and then leave it, for one year.  That’s right, one year!  Get a year ahead with your wood supply.  Allow the wind to move air through the stacked piles.  It will take a year for Mother Nature to drive excess moisture from the stacked, split logs.

Remember that even dead, standing trees are not dry enough to burn without splitting, stacking and protecting the logs from the elements.  Ask your WE LOVE FIRE expert about a moisture meter.  It’s an easy and inexpensive way to check the moisture content of your fuel.

GuageAnother thing you can do to prevent creosote from building up is to be conscience about the amount of air you are allowing to the fire.  Air flowing through a fireplace or stove can be controlled by dampers, doors or a primary air mechanism.  Not enough air and the smoke’s “residence time” in the chimney flue will be longer, leading to creosote forming.  Too much air and those chimney temperatures can get dangerously hot.  Use a temperature gauge with your wood stove to measure this and maintain temperatures consistent with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

An important side bar here.  Your WE LOVE FIRE expert is not a fan of heat reclaimers.  These are small heat exchangers designed with a fan that are installed in the connector pipe of a wood stove.   These heat reclaimers remove heat from the black connector pipe and prevent that heat from moving up the chimney.  Guess what happens to the air flow and the temperature inside the chimney?  The air flow is reduced and temperatures inside the chimney go down!  And with a lower temperature inside the chimney, conditions just improved for creosote forming.

The last tip should be a no-brainer.  Regular maintenance on your chimney is critical.  Always keep your chimney clean and well maintained!  Make sure a certified chimney sweep (CSIA link) inspects your chimney once a year and cleans it, if necessary.  The CSIA certification means the chimney sweep is specially trained and is regularly tested on all types of chimney systems.  They will evaluate the inside and outside of the chimney.  And, they are well versed on all applicable codes relating to your chimney system.

And, one more thought:  A log chain is absolutely not the tool of choice to use to clean your chimney!  Your certified sweep will not have one on his service truck.  He doesn’t use them and neither should you.

HOW TO PREVENT A CHIMNEY FIRE:

  • By using only dry, seasoned wood. Use a meter to check the moisture content.
  • By never burning any trash, Christmas tree limbs, cardboard boxes or wrapping paper.
  • By installing a thermometer on your wood stove’s connector pipe.
  • By having your fireplace or stove annually inspected (and cleaned if necessary) by a certified chimney safety professional.

Chimney fires are very dangerous and a serious problem.  But sleep well tonight.  Because if your chimney was properly installed and if it’s clean and well maintained, you will not have a chimney fire.

Your WE LOVE FIRE expert can help you understand how your specific model of stove or fireplace can operate safely and most efficiently.  And, we look forward to continuing this conversation with you.

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service ()

Auburn, AL

Top Hat Chimney Sweeps
1280 Financial Ct.
Auburn, AL 36830

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Elk Grove, CA

Custom Fireside Shops
9097 Elk Grove Blvd.
Elk Grove, CA 95624

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Sacramento, CA

Custom Fireside Shops
5455 Auburn Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95841

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Durango, CO

Four Corner Stoves & Spas
3001 Main Avenue
Durango, CO 81301

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Durango, CO

Durango Outdoor Living
140 Rock Point Drive
Durango, CO 81301

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Grand Junction, CO

Stove Depot and Chimney Works
330 North Ave.
Grand Junction, CO 81501

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New London, CT

Family Hearth and Patio LLC
571 Broad Street
New London, CT 06320

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Ridgefield, CT

Yankee Doodle, Inc.
71 Ethan Allen Highway
Ridgefield, CT 06877

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Dover, DE

Byler's Stove Shoppe Inc.
1368b Rose Valley School Rd.
Dover, DE 19904

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Destin, FL

Doodlebuggers Service Network
36054 Emerald Coast Parkway
Destin, FL 32541

Bettendorf, IA

Fireplaces Plus, Inc.
1745 State Street
Bettendorf, IA 52722

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Post Falls, ID

Quality Stoves & Home Furnishings
569 N Syringa St
Post Falls, ID 83854

Rockford, IL

Advanced Chimney Systems, Inc.
3486 Lonergan Drive
Rockford, IL 61109

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Wauconda, IL

Grass Roots Energy, Inc.
28751 N Route 12
Wauconda, IL 60084

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Evansville, IN

Firemaster, Inc.
5300 E Morgan Avenue
Evansville, IN 47715

Jeffersonville, IN

Olde Towne Chimney & Fireplace Sales
915 Nachand Ln
Jeffersonville, IN 47130

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Overland Park, KS

Kansas City Fireplace Center
10470 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, KS 66212

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Erlanger, KY

TateBuilder's Supply, LLC
3511 Dixie Highway
Erlanger, KY 41018

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Littleton, MA

Woodstove, Fireplace and Patio Shop, Inc.
60 White Street
Littleton, MA 01460

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Seekonk, MA

The Fireplace Showcase
775 Fall River Ave
Seekonk, MA 02771

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Sudbury, MA

Woodstove, Fireplace and Patio Shop, Inc.
348 Boston Post Road
Sudbury, MA 01776

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Duluth, MN

Duluth Stove & Fireplace
2431 W Superior Street
Duluth, MN 55806

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Minneapolis, MN

Woodland Stoves & Fireplaces
2901 Franklin Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Oakdale, MN

Energy Savers of Minnesota
6298 Highway 36 Blvd N
Oakdale, MN 55128

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Rochester, MN

Brekke Fireplace Shoppe
1904 S. Broadway
Rochester, MN 55904

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Walker, MN

Wilkening Fireplace Company
9608 State 371 NW
Walker, MN 56484

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Fargo, ND

Home Heating, Plumbing & A/C Inc.
701 28th Street South
Fargo, ND 58103

Omaha, NE

Fireplace By Design
13913 R Plaza
Omaha, NE 68137

Epping, NH

The Stove Shoppe
285, Calef Highway Rte. 125
Epping, NH 03042

Windham, NH

The Stove Shoppe
25 Indian Rock Road
Windham, NH 03087

Hamilton, NJ

Bowden's Fireside - Hearth & Home
1731 Nottingham Way
Hamilton, NJ 08619

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Voorhees, NJ

Rettinger Fireplace Systems, Inc.
476 Centennial Blvd
Voorhees, NJ 08043

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St. Henry, OH

Buschur's Refrigeration, Inc.
541 N Eastern Avenue
St. Henry, OH 45883

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Media, PA

Chimney Cricket
101 State Road
Media, PA 19063

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Rapid City, SD

Hebron Brick Company
1543 Deadwood Ave
Rapid City, SD 57709

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Sioux Falls, SD

Hebron Brick Company
2211 W. 50th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57105-6525

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Vermillion, SD

Kalin's Indoor Comfort Inc.
710 Cottage Avenue
Vermillion, SD 57069

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Manassas, VA

Winston's Chimney Service
11301 Industrial Road
Manassas, VA 20109

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Barre, VT

Chimney Sweep Fireplace Shop
1284 US Rte, 302 Ste 10
Barre, VT 05641-2317

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Bennington, VT

Friends of The Sun
126 Hicks Avenue
Bennington, VT 05201

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Manchester, VT

Friends of The Sun
159 Depot Street
Manchester, VT 05255

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Shelburne, VT

Chimney Sweep Fireplace Shop
3113 Shelburne Road
Shelburne, VT 05482

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White River Jnct, VT

Home Comfort of New England
1255 VA Cut Off Road
White River Jnct, VT 05001

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Burlington, WI

Burlington Fireplace & Heating LLC
857 Milwaukee Ave.
Burlington, WI 53105

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Madison, WI

Top Hat
5117 Verona Rd
Madison, WI 53711

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Morgantown, WV

Rustic By Design
709 Beechurst Ave. Suite 15
Morgantown, WV 26505

Laramie, WY

High Country Stoves & Fireplaces
860 N. 3rd Street
Laramie, WY 82072


For more information, contact your local fireplace and grill store.

3 Responses

  1. Adam Brown
    If the chimney has not been cleaned in a long time, it is wise to have a chimney sweep do the first cleaning to live a safe life rather facing chimney issues. Thanks for sharing such an informative post!
    • Dominique Page
      Thank you for your comment, we could not agree more!
  2. Modus Fireplaces
    Great Explanation about the safety tips, Worth reading and sounbds useful. Thanks for sharing
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