Preventing Chimney Fires in Your Weston, CT Home

11/9/2021 (Permalink)

A chimney fire affected two levels of the interior and exterior of this Weston, CT home.

The fall and winter months can’t get much better when you have a fireplace in your Weston, CT home. 

However, there is the risk of a chimney fire when you have a working fireplace.

Without proper use or maintenance, a chimney fire in Weston can be more likely than you think. Many chimney fires go undetected and don’t spread into the home, but this doesn’t minimize the serious dangers that they pose.

As your local fire damage restoration specialists in Weston, CT, we’re diving into the ways that you can prevent a chimney fire and keep your family and home safe. 

How Do Chimney Fires Start? 

Simply put, creosote buildup is what causes chimney fires. Creosote is a byproduct produced from burning wood which builds up along the chimney liner over time. 

Once creosote starts to build up in your chimney, it begins to restrict air flow. This decrease in airflow fosters the perfect conditions for more of this material to deposit the next time you light a fire. 

As creosote build up becomes worse, the chances become more likely for a chimney fire to start. Creosote is highly flammable when there is a large amount built up. At this stage, even just one spark from your fireplace can set off a chimney fire that can spread into your home. 

Signs of creosote buildup:

• Reduced draft in fireplace from poor air flow
• Fire not fully burning - Leaving behind more wood than ash
• Black soot staining around and inside fireplace
• Darker than normal smoke coming out of chimney
• Visible soot buildup inside of chimney

Ways To Help Prevent Chimney Fires

While chimney fires in Weston, CT can easily happen, they can also be easily avoided. Regular fireplace maintenance is perhaps the best way to prevent creosote buildup and chimney fires, as a clean chimney has no fuel (i.e. creosote) to start a fire.

Below are the top steps you can take to make sure a chimney fire doesn’t prompt the need for fire damage cleanup in Weston, CT this winter.

1. Don’t burn artificial logs - they don’t burn cleanly and will increase creosote buildup
2. Avoid burning magazines, cardboard, or wrapping paper which contains chemicals
3. Only burn seasoned firewood that has dried for 6 months to a year
4. Try and burn as clean fires as possible (More flame, less smoke)
5. Make sure to leave glass doors open a crack to allow enough oxygen to the fire and encourage a steady draft up the chimney, which will decrease buildup
6. Keep the damper open to encourage air flow
7. Warm up the flue before lighting a fire to reduce buildup. Light a 'torch' of newspaper and don’t light your actual fire until smoke begins to go straight up the chimney
8. Be sure to have your chimney annually cleaned and inspected to reduce risk of buildup and a fire
9. Install a carbon monoxide detector - Low air flow in the chimney can result in high levels of this dangerous gas inside of your home and tip off that your chimney needs to be cleaned

Your Local Fire Damage Restoration Specialists in Weston, CT - 203-707-1952