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Keep the Fire You Want from Starting One You
Don’t
Chimney fires don’t have to happen.
Here are some ways to avoid them:
-
Have your chimney inspected annually by a qualified
professional and cleaned when necessary.
-
Use
seasoned woods only (dryness is more important than
hard wood versus soft wood considerations)
-
Build smaller, hotter fires that burn more
completely and produce less smoke.
-
Never burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, trash or
Christmas trees; these can spark a chimney fire.
-
Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue
temperatures where wood stoves are in use, so you
can adjust burning practices as needed.
-
Inspect and clean catalytic combustors on a regular
basis, where applicable
What to Do if You Have a Chimney Fire.
If you realize a chimney fire is occurring, follow these
steps:
-
Get
everyone out of the house, including yourself.
-
Call the fire department.
If you
can do so without risk to yourself, these additional
steps may help save your home. Remember, however, that
homes are replaceable, lives are not:
-
Put
a chimney fire extinguisher into the fireplace or
wood stove.
-
Close the glass doors on the fireplace.
-
Close the inlets on the wood stove.
-
Use
a garden hose to spray down the roof (not the
chimney) so the fire won’t spread to the rest of the
structure.
For
more chimney safety tips, visit the
Chimney
Safety Institute of America
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