Prevent a chimney fire from happening to you!
Chimney fires are scary and dangerous events that occur much more often than you might think. Did you know that there is an average of 20,000 chimney fires each year? Fortunately, they are one of those things that you can protect against by knowing more about them and doing regular maintenance. Read on for more details.
What Is A Chimney Fire?
In short, chimney fires are fires that break out inside the chimney when buildup on the liner and chimney walls ignites. They often sound like very loud piping or cracking (sometimes as loud as an airplane sounds) with dense smoke and an intense burning smell. That could be the only sign that you have a chimney fire as it is happening. The damage that chimney fires leave, including damaged tile or liners, damaged masonry, damage to the flue, and sometimes visible buckling of the roof, can be hazardous. Even if the chimney fire only leads to cracks in the chimney itself, those cracks could be an avenue for a second fire to spread to the rest of your house.
What Causes Chimney Fires?
The design of chimneys is a means to remove heat and smoke from your home safely, but that heat and smoke also carry a combustible material called creosote. Creosote is the residue that is left over from burning wood and other combustibles. It can line the chimney and flue over time, and under the proper conditions, it can ignite. As a result, this causes a fire to break out inside your chimney.
How Can You Prevent Chimney Fires?
The biggest thing that you can do to prevent chimney fires is to have your chimney inspected by a professional every year and cleaned as needed. This inspection and cleaning can clean away creosote and make sure there isn’t any damage from a chimney fire that you were unaware of. If there is damage, it needs to be repaired. Next, make sure that you are only burning properly-seasoned wood. Seasoned wood produces less creosote than unseasoned wood. Finally, pay attention to the smoke when you use your fireplace. Smoke should never escape between the mortar joints, and it usually should not back puff into the room. If you notice it doing this, call a professional to check the chimney.
Don’t Be in Despair If Your Chimney Needs Repair
Champion Chimneys, Inc. is a fully licensed, bonded and insured chimney service company that has been serving customers in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland since 2001. Our team is trained and certified by Certified Chimney Professionals, Inc. (CCP, Inc.). Courteous service is our trademark, and our crews arrive on time in uniform, driving fully equipped trucks. We specialize in all aspects of your chimney system. Whether you need chimney and flue cleaning service or a full chimney rebuild or inspection, contact us at 443-Chimney today and let us fix all your chimney problems. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.