With the polar vortex in full swing in Wisconsin this month, many homeowners’ fireplaces are probably working overtime. But don’t forget the fireplace safety tips outlined by the U.S. Fire Administration:
• Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace to prevent embers or sparks jumping out.
• Do not burn paper in your fireplace.
• Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home.
• Put ashes in a metal container with a lid, outside, at least 10 feet from your home.
The USFA also recommends having your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional. Why? Because a dirty chimney, with creosote and wood-burning soot buildup, can lead to fires as well as carbon monoxide poisoning and poor indoor air quality. Consider burning a chimney-cleaning log that will reduce certain types of creosote buildup, too.
Even gas fireplaces — generally considered safer than wood-burning ones — still require chimney maintenance and inspections to ensure they are safe to use.
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America®, which certifies chimney sweeps, “clean chimneys don’t catch fire.”
Indications of a chimney fire include a loud cracking and popping noise, dense smoke and an intense hot smell. Still the majority of chimney fires go undetected, the CSIA says, because they “don’t get enough air or have fuel to be dramatic or visible, … but the temperatures they reach are very high and can cause … damage to the chimney structure — and nearby combustible parts of the house.”
The CSIA website also includes “Nine Signs You’ve Had a Chimney Fire”:
1. “Puffy” or “honeycombed” creosote
2. Discolored and/or distorted rain cap
3. Warped metal of the damper, metal smoke chamber connector pipe or factory-built metal chimney
4. Evidence of smoke escaping through mortar joints of masonry or tile liners
5. Cracked or collapsed flue tiles or tiles with large chunks missing
6. Heat-damaged TV antenna attached to the chimney
7. Creosote flakes and pieces found on the roof or ground
8. Roofing material damaged from hot creosote
9. Cracks in exterior masonry
If you notice any of those signs, you definitely need an inspection ASAP. Everybody else, as noted earlier, should have their chimneys inspected each year as part of a regular home-hygiene plan.
“Make sure a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep® inspects your solid fuel venting system annually, and sweeps and repairs it whenever needed,” the CSIA suggests. “Your sweep may have other maintenance recommendations depending on how you use your fireplace or stove. CSIA® recommends that you call on CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps®, since they are regularly tested on their understanding of the complexities of chimney and venting systems.”
Certified chimney companies in the Madison area include Badger Chimney LLC in Madison, Rock River Chimney & Fireplace LLC in Watertown and Shields Fireside Hearth & Home of Baraboo. Find one in your area here.
Chimney fire or no chimney fire, it’s not too early to begin thinking about making sure your chimney is inspected, cleaned and ready for action this fall. Some companies book appointments months in advance, so now is the time to get on the schedule for this spring or summer.
Stay warm!
