Chimney Flue Fire

The creosote builds up on the walls inside a chimney flue and over time it becomes a fire hazard.

Chimney flue fire.

This flue fire damage video is a quick simulation of how fire leaves the chimney soon after the creosote ignites. It s highly recommended to install a flue liner to further protect the chimney and reduce the chances of a flue fire. 1 get everyone out of the house including yourself 2 call the fire department. Similar to furnaces wood burning fireplaces and stoves are designed to safely contain fires.

The only sign is the damage left behind. The thicker the layer of creosote the hotter the fire. The most common cause of chimney fires is the ignition of creosote in the flue. Leaves and animal nests inside a flue can quickly fuel a chimney fire when touched by loose embers from a fire.

If you realize a chimney fire is occurring follow these steps. A chimney cap on the crown around the outside opening of the flue will keep debris. Most chimney fires are quiet and slow burning. Creosote is a highly combustible substance that often looks sticky and tar like.

The facts about chimney fires loud cracking and popping noise a lot of dense smoke and an intense hot smell. 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. The chimney flue is a clear necessity for a wood burning fireplace as it directs the gases from your fireplace out of. The process begins with the incomplete combustion of fuel in the attached appliance usually a wood or coal stove or open fire.

Chimney fire extinguishing aids work by consuming available oxygen the most obvious sign of a chimney fire is when you see flames and sparks shooting out of the chimney like a roman candle on the. The flue protects the chimney walls so it is on the inside of the chimney tower. This type of creosote makes for the hottest burning fuel for a flue fire.