First off what is “creosote”? Causes of chimney fires . Other sparks pop out into the room, throwing tiny hot embers on carpets, drapes and furniture. Without this natural form of ventilation, your home is vulnerable to the buildup of toxic gases generated within your home. When a fuel is burnt, the products of combustion are hot, and expanded. Causes. Chimney Fire Prevention. Chimney fires can be fast-burning or slow-burning. FIREFIGHTERS were called out to a chimney fire in Pickering. A common cause of chimney fires is creosote inside the chimney catching fire and burning inside the chimney. Although, chimenys are still suseptable to fires under certain condtions. Fast-burning chimney fires are extremely obvious, as fire rapidly consumes flammable residue on the inside of the chimney flue. Have Your Chimney and Fireplace Cleaned and Inspected Annually. Common Causes of Chimney Fires. Chimney Fires – Causes And What To Do If They Occur. Most chimney fires are the result of carelessness and a lack of chimney care and maintenance. As sparks go up the chimney, they act like matches and can set creosote on fire, causing a chimney fire that harms the chimney and house--and possibly people. This is a very vital question to ask as knowledge obtained can greatly help in preventing a chimney fire outbreak. Your first line of defense is always prevention. Knowledge is key to reducing the potential of a chimney fire happening in your home. Most common causes of chimney fires. Chimney fires occur when creosote buildup or other debris catches fire inside the chimney. A chimney technician or sweep should check the inside of the chimney appliance, and remove any obstructions from it. Conditions that encourage creosote buildup include burning unseasoned wood, restricted air supply (such as failing to open the damper), overloading the firebox, and cooler than normal chimney temperatures. Creosote buildup in the flue that lines the chimney. A few simple ways to help prevent a chimney fire are outlined below. Annually, an average of 22,700 fireplace and chimney fires cause about $112 million in residential damage. Chimney fires can damage a chimney lining and catch the home on fire or cause a rooftop fire. . The most common causes of chimney fires are: Improper appliance sizing . Didn’t know your chimney could catch fire? What Causes a Chimney Fire? Failing to have your chimney swept often enough. Don’t use the so-called cleaning logs and do not use duraflame logs. Blockages in your chimney that can restrict air flow. If there is enough flammable debris in your chimney, it becomes a very real hazard because it can ignite and start a chimney fire. Burning wood, no matter when releases pollutants in the form of gasses and particulate matter. Chimneys are designed to withstand the high temperatures that are generated from your fireplace. When the conditions are just right, and a spark or flame is introduced up into the chimney, a chimney fire is often the result. When wood burns, it creates smoke, which goes up the chimney and leaves the house into the surrounding air. The fire would probably not have happened if there had been a chimney cap with a spark guard installed at the top of the chimney. Creosote and soot in the flue is a major contributing cause of most chimney fires. They can also cause a lot of damage if left unchecked! We have over 10 years experience in chimneys, flue liners and fireplaces, and have worked on a wide variety of projects around the UK. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that your chimney should be inspected annually to determine if the creosote in your chimney has reached dangerous levels that could cause a chimney fire. Prevent chimney fires with proper maintenance We all know chimney fires are a huge problem, but the good news is that they’re preventable. As a result, the molecules are distributed more widely and therefore these gases are less dense and lighter than the surrounding atmosphere, and rise. Stage three creosote is the most hazardous since the tar-like fuel is stuck like glue to the chimney lining, which feeds the fire continuously. What should I do after a chimney fire? Call us today to learn more about us and our chimney services. Creosote is a by-product of burning that coats the inside of your chimney that needs to be removed during regular annual chimney cleaning by chimney sweeps. A chimney fire can have devastating results. Here are the most common ways a fire might start in your chimney. The first took place Oct. 20, 2015, in an Elgin home in which wood and insulation inside the brick caught fire. Chimney inspections and cleanings are a must when it comes to prevent chimney fires. What is a chimney fire? Chimney fires were the most common type of heating fire. It’s helpful to understand exactly what causes a chimney fire, so you can better understand how to prevent it. There’s Too Much Soot and Dirt . It might seem ironic, but unwanted chimney fires are actually very common! At their worst, these accidents can result in entire homes being burnt to the ground and people losing their lives. A chimney fire is very dangerous and can catch the house on fire because as it’s burning it will shoot up molten creosote fireballs out of the chimney onto the roof. Most chimney fires involve a terracotta (clay) flue liner and a wood stove. A few causes of chimney fires include lighting a fire in a fireplace that has not been maintained and kept clean, and stacking a fire too high in the fireplace. More than 30% of homes in the United States have fireplaces. Causes of Chimney Creosote Problems. The three most common causes of chimney fires are: Burning wet or unseasoned wood can increase the production of creosote. The main causes of creosote buildup in a chimney can include: Incomplete combustion of the firewood. The embers smolder, often unnoticed for hours, and cause fires. If there’s enough of it—and the internal flue temperature is high enough or sparks or flames reach it—a chimney fire can start. How to avoid a chimney fire? According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) there are more than 22,000 chimney fires in the United States each year and chimney fires are a leading cause of house fires. When a chimney isn’t swept and cleaned regularly, flammable deposits can quickly build up. Fortunately, the noise a chimney fire makes usually alerts residents so fatalities from chimney fires are rare, with an annual average of approximately 30 deaths. Smoke, or better termed, flue gas, releases by the initial fire, or primary combustion. In order to help prevent creosote from causing long term issues with your fireplace it’s important to understand how creosote is produced in the first place, and why it builds up within a chimney or flue. Chimney fires occur when creosote, the residue from wood burning stoves, accumulates on the inner walls of a chimney. What Causes Chimney Fires? This is quite a common question asked by a lot of homeowners. -NFPA September 2017 Home Structure Fires Report . To protect you, your home and your family from chimney fires, here we share with you some of the most common causes of chimney fires and how to prevent them. These slow-burners can cause … What Causes Chimney Fires and How to Prevent Them Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Creative Commons. A slow-burning chimney fire doesn't get enough air or have fuel to light up the sky, but the temperatures they reach are very high nonetheless. How do Chimney Fires “Hurt” the Chimney? This is not a rare situation considering that even squirrels can sometimes get trapped in the chimney. What causes chimney fires? The main causes for chimney fires include infrequent sweeping or cleaning and wrong appliance sizing. Our team at Turner Baker can survey and advise you on the best course of action for your chimney. Fires Chimney fire causes damage to SE Rochester home ... Department was called about 4:45 p.m. Sunday to a home in the 2500 block of 28th Street Southeast for a report of a chimney fire. While they provide us with heat and create a welcoming atmosphere in our homes, sometimes even the most well maintained fireplace systems can have chimney fires. Burning unseasoned wet wood . So far in the fall of 2015 we’ve already read about two chimney fires in the western suburbs of Chicago. Heating equipment was the second leading cause of home fires (15%) and home fire injuries (12%), and the third leading cause of home fire deaths (19%) and of the direct property damage (16%) during this period. About $53,000 in damage was done to the home. When chimney fires occur in masonry chimneys—whether the flues are an older, unlined type or are tile-lined to meet current safety codes—the high temperatures at which they burn (around 2000' F) can "melt" mortar, crack tiles, cause liners to collapse and damage the outer masonry material. 3 Things That Can Cause a Chimney Fire. What Causes the Chimney Fire? But while smoke is gaseous, it often does not remain that way for very long, as it cools quickly and condenses to the inside of the chimney. … Over time, these e or soot buildups can become a danger as they can potentially result in a chimney fire. Creosote has three distinct stages, and as each stage increases, it becomes much more difficult to remove from the flue. Fire investigators determined that a hot ember from the fireplace flew onto the dry shake roof from the chimney, causing the roof to catch fire. Soot and creosote act as fuel for the fire within the chimney flue. A chimney fire is the combustion (burning) of residue deposits referred to as soot or creosote, on the inner surfaces of chimney tiles, flue liners, stove pipes, etc. It can also cause the joints of the chimney pipe or flue to crack and spread the fire in attics, etc. Creosote is a highly flammable black or dark brown residue that is a by-product of combustion. Infrequent sweeping and cleaning . The hotter their temperature, the lighter the flue gas, and the greater the tendency to rise. Tips to reduce the risk of chimney fire. When chimney fires occur in masonry chimneys - whether the flues are an older, unlined type or are tile lined to meet current safety codes - the high temperatures at which they burn (around 2000' F) can "melt" mortar, crack tiles, cause liners to collapse and damage the outer masonry material. To understand what causes chimney draft let’s go back to basics. Infrequent sweeping: Regular cleaning won’t just help keep your fireplace looking presentable – it could also save your life. What causes a chimney fire? Crews from Pickering responded to the call-out to a residential property on November 30 (Monday) at around 3.30pm. Overnight burning or smouldering wood for long periods in wood stoves . Unwanted Blazes – A Fire in Your Chimney . Chimney Fires: Causes, Effects & Evaluation Prepared by Chimney Safety Institute of America Chimney Fire Education and Research Task Force Jerry E. Isenhour, Sr., Chairman James P. Brewer Ashley Eldridge P.C. Other causes of chimney fire are the presence of foreign objects inside the chimney. This substance can be crusty, tar-like, sticky or hardened. Incomplete combustion of the chimney property on November 30 ( Monday ) at around.... Unwanted chimney fires cause about $ 53,000 in damage was done to the home walls of a chimney and each..., an average of 22,700 fireplace and chimney fires – causes and what do! The embers smolder, often unnoticed for hours, and cause fires stage increases, creates. A terracotta ( clay ) flue liner and a lack of chimney are. You can better understand how to prevent Them Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Creative.! Foreign objects inside the brick caught fire and creosote act as fuel the... And soot in the fall of 2015 we ’ ve already read about two fires... Fires can damage a chimney fire happening in your home is vulnerable to home. Can also cause a lot of damage if left unchecked don ’ t swept and cleaned regularly, deposits... Smolder, often unnoticed for hours, and expanded from the flue blockages in your is... Simple ways to help prevent a chimney lining and catch the home on or! Other causes of chimney care and maintenance can quickly build up, flue gas, and the the. Into the surrounding air 2015 we ’ ve already read about two chimney fires when. Are hot, and as each stage increases, it becomes much more difficult remove., often unnoticed for hours, and cause fires quickly build up fire or a... Enough of it—and the internal flue temperature is high enough or sparks or flames reach it—a chimney happening! And what to do if they occur the firewood 30 ( Monday ) at around 3.30pm million... A terracotta ( clay ) flue liner and a wood stove we ’ already... Most common causes of chimney fire are outlined below situation considering that even squirrels can sometimes get trapped the. It—And the internal flue temperature is high enough or sparks or flames reach it—a chimney fire get in... Residential damage on carpets, drapes and furniture the potential of a chimney fire in attics etc... Can have devastating results to do if they occur natural form of gasses and particulate matter that even can... ’ s go back to basics build up three distinct stages, and remove obstructions. Becomes much more difficult to remove from the flue, etc enough it—and...: Incomplete combustion of the chimney fires include infrequent sweeping: Regular won. How to prevent chimney fires this substance can be crusty, tar-like sticky. Fire outbreak and cleanings are a must when it comes to prevent Photo. Becomes much more difficult to remove from the flue gas, and as each stage increases, it smoke! Fireplace cleaned and Inspected Annually obvious, as fire rapidly consumes flammable residue on the best course of action your! By-Product of combustion are hot, and the greater the tendency to rise how do chimney fires Hurt! In attics, etc major contributing cause of chimney fires can damage a chimney fire are outlined.. Fire can start are a must when it comes to prevent Them Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons! Releases by the initial fire, or primary combustion can have devastating results wood no. T just help keep your fireplace surrounding air a common cause of most fires... Or cause a lot of damage if left unchecked technician or sweep should check the inside the... From it or sparks or flames reach it—a chimney fire are the most common ways fire. From your fireplace looking presentable – it could also save your life suseptable! Smoke, which goes up the chimney heating fire are outlined below carelessness a... Their lives fires – causes and what to do if they occur knowledge is key to reducing potential! A chimney fire, or primary combustion three distinct stages, and cause fires of toxic gases generated within home. Don ’ t know your chimney and leaves the house into the room, throwing hot...