Michigan chimney expert warns about the dangers of chimney
fires and shares ways to help prevent these potential dangerous
situations. I’m sure most people don’t
spend too much time worrying about the risk they are taking when they don’t
take proper care of their chimney, however dirty chimneys are predisposed to
fires that could take a dramatic turn for the worst and possibly devastate
homes and/or lives.
Chimney
fires can be easily avoided if you take suitable precisions, but to do this you
must fully understand how chimney fires are set into motion. I’m quite sure
everybody knows that when you’re burning wood the smoke it releases travels up
the chimney. This smoke is full of
matter that condenses on the flue liner within your chimney. This condensed
matter is also known as creosote. As soon as the creosote has been produced, it
continues to bond to the walls waiting for any indication of flame or spark to
ignite it.
The
type of wood that you burn can also effect how the amount of creosote that
builds up along the flue liner. Unseasoned wood (green), for example, is the
key perpetrator in this. Unseasoned wood holds a lot of moisture which needs to
be removed in order to burn. Using unseasoned wood produces a cooler smoke than
seasoned wood, which is more likely to condense on the inside of your chimney.
The
temperature also plays an important role on the effects of your chimney. The cold air outside helps to cool off the
smoke from your fireplace, and also condenses the smoke to form creosote. Having a chimney that runs up the side of
your house, rather than through the center, makes it more likely to happen as
well.
Not
opening the damper all the way or closing the glass doors on your fireplace
causes air flow to be constrained. Good air flow is important because it helps
to lift smoke from your fireplace before it condenses into creosote.
Bulky,
compressed bundles of wood cause cooler fires so smaller, hotter fires are
best. I advise against burning cardboard or papers for the simple fact those
small flaming pieces of ash and such can drift up your chimney and likely
ignite the creosote fixed on the inside of your chimney.
While
nothing can completely prevent the forming of creosote, it helps to have your chimney
cleaned and examined on a regular basis. This will help to keep the problem at
bay.
If you would like any more information about chimneys,
masonry construction, or have any masonry questions please visit http://michiganchimneyrepair.com/default.aspx