What Are The Different Ways to Prevent Chimney Fires?

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What Are The Different Ways to Prevent Chimney
Fires?

• chimneysweep.com

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(No Transcript)
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A chimney fire may start as the result of a
stressful event in a homeowners life or it may
even happen without the homeowners knowledge. In
either case, a chimney fire has the potential to
seriously harm (and even destroy) a chimney or a
house. Its crucial to comprehend what causes
chimney fires because numerous fires start in or
around the chimney every year that result in
building damage or fatalities.
Why do chimney fires start?
Chimney fires are a result of the accumulation of
creosote in the chimneys flue. As a byproduct of
combustion, creosote is a highly combustible
black or dark brown residue. This substance can
be firm, sticky, crusty, or tar-like. A chimney
fire may begin if there is enough of it, the
internal flue temperature is high enough, or
sparks or flames enter the area.
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What are the different ways to prevent chimney
fires?

• Reduce creosote accumulation to avoid chimney
  fires
• Creosote is the primary cause of chimney fires.
  When fire byproducts (smoke, vapour, and unburned
  wood) condense as they flow from the hot
  fireplace or wood stove into the cooler chimney,
  they coat the walls of the chimney with this
  extremely combustible, dark brown substance.
  Creosote can catch fire and propagate up the flue
  if the temperature in the chimney flue (the area
  inside the chimney) is high enough and the
  creosote buildup is thick enough. Additionally,
  keep in mind that for proper airflow during a
  fire, the damper (a metal plate in the chimney
  that controls the draught) should always be kept
  open.

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• Installing a chimney cap
• Your chimney will remain clear of exterior
  debris, animals, birds, nesting materials, and
  other potential obstructions if your flue is
  covered by a sturdy chimney cap. Its a
  reasonable investment that can both spare you a
  lot of money in repairs and safeguard you from
  chimney fires. It is always worth it as without
  the chimney cap, deadly accidents can happen
  anytime.

• By employing clean burning techniques
• Keep the damper completely open since oxygen
  deprivation can result in smoke and smouldering,
  which can accumulate creosote. Controlling the
  temperature is crucial. A lack of heat can leave
  combustible material unburned while an excess of
  heat can shut the air inlet. The ideal
  temperature for the stoves or pipes exterior is
  between 300 and 500 degrees. The temperature
  inside the flue, which should be between 600 and
  1,000 degrees, can be measured with a probe
  thermometer. Always remember to put out the fire
  before turning in for the night. Through many
  techniques like these, we can prevent chimney
  fires.

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• Scheduling an annual chimney inspection
• Its essential to have a Chimney Safety Institute
  of America-certified chimney sweep to inspect
  your fireplace or woodstove, chimney, and venting
  system once a year because many flaws that cause
  chimney fires, such as cracked flue liner, arent
  visible to the naked eye. These experts will let
  you know if there has been any damage, fix it if
  youd like, and get rid of any blockages like
  bird nests as well as soot and creosote.

• Purchase a chimney fire extinguisher
• A chimney fire extinguisher could help to stop
  significant damage in the event of a chimney
  fire. These specifically created fire
  extinguishers, also referred to as Class ABC
  extinguishers, put out fires by forcing smoke up
  the chimney. If it is safe to do so, only use the
  extinguisher. Get out of the house as soon as
  possible, then dial the fire department.
  Precautions are always the best.

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• Burn only seasoned dry wood
• Only burn clean flames if you want to reduce
  creosote formation. Select hardwoods that have
  been split, chopped, and cured for a year or more
  ideally. Evergreen trees tend to explode and
  smoke more than hardwoods, although they often
  dry out more quickly than dense trees like ash,
  elm, maple, and oak. To guarantee that the wood
  has no more than 20 moisture content, be sure to
  provide room around the stack to let air flow and
  dry the wood. You may also want to consider
  buying a wood moisture metre. As the health and
  the fire of your chimney depend greatly on the
  wood, make sure you keep an eye on this factor.

Avoid burning cloth, magazines, wrapping paper
and cardboard as well. Never use liquid
accelerants in a fireplace or wood stove, such as
gasoline, kerosene or lighter fluid.
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What to do in case of a chimney fire?
You can use a chimney fire extinguisher and close
any doors or inlets to your fireplace or stove to
cut off the oxygen supply to the fire, but only
if doing so is safe. Next, securely exit the area
and dial fire emergency numbers. You have the
option to place a hose on your roof before the
fire service gets there to stop the fire from
spreading, but doing so could result in masonry
cracking when the cool water comes into contact
with the hot chimney. Its crucial to engage a
licensed chimney specialist to carry out a level
2 examination after the fire has been
extinguished, even if it doesnt appear that
there has been any damage. Before you can once
again utilise your chimney, they will decide if
any repairs are required.
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Final Words
A Step in Time Chimney Sweeps provides the
best chimney fire inspections which are essential
to keep yourself protected. We during our
inspection take care of everything to assure you
of complete safety. We are even there to help you
out after the chimney fire to recover your
chimney from the damages. We assure your complete
satisfaction with our services and provide them
at competitive prices.
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