Chimney fire!

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ChandlerR

ChandlerR

Minister of Fire
Jan 28, 2009
737
Hampton, NH
Got a call from DW at work this morning. She said that she thought she had a chimney fire. I asked her if she was sure, and she said she was. She called the fire department and shut the stove down. I raced home (beat the FD) and found that my son had got my ladder and fire extinguisher and had given a quick shot in the outlet of the pipe. He said there were flames shooting out of the pipe when he first saw it. By the time the FD arrived, I had the end cap off and was looking into the pipe with a flashight. They stood around while I dissassembled the whole pipe and brought it outside. They checked the wall with an infrared camera (Don't know why...the pipe doesn't travel in the wall) and then watched as I took the stove pipe apart. They had never seen this type of pipe before and I gave them a class on how to take it apart. It turns out that there was creasote buildup at the end of the pipe and when DW started the stove this morning, it got hot enough to ignite.

What is weird is I had done a big cleaning a month ago...took the pipes down, vacuumed and cleaned everything. I never thought that there could possibly be a dangerous buildup of creosote in such a short time. Now, we have been running the stove for a few hours a day for the last few weeks. I'm down to a bag a week or less. Why could there be a creasote buildup now? I'm guessing that it's because the stove is running so low. I've been burning Okies and Cubex. Any ideas guys? To say the least, I will be checking the vent daily for any buildup.

The LT from the FD said he had never seen a pellet stove chimney fire before. He also said he loved my installation and the fact that I had a fire extinguisher right there and a son who was able to get a ladder and put out the fire. Not a good way to start my day!

Chan
 
you are going to have all kins of cake creosote build up in the combustion motor too. This happen when running a stove on low for extended periods of time; a lot of oxygen but not enough heat. One downside of the OAK. The brand of pellet you use can have some effect on this too, i.e hardwood vs. softwood. You are also burning wood pellets in a stove designed for corn or multi fuel use. You may not have enough draft through the burn pot. I believe that it is recommended that you burn your stove on high for at least 1 hr once a week. And you may need a special burn pot for wood only application. Check with American Energy on that.

I've seen this with a lot of St. Croix Lancasters that were sold as multi fuel but did not come with the wood pellet burn pot. A few other brands have been guilty of this too in the rush to provide stoves when there was no stove available.

Make sure you get all of the creosote out of the pipe before you reuse it or buy new pipe. Make sure your stove is ok too.

I have also seen creosote build up in ash drawers on pedestal stoves when the stove is not completely secure to the pedestal stand. PelPro Bay Window and Breckwell P2000 have been guilty of this.
 
smwilliamson said:
you are going to have all kins of cake creosote build up in the combustion motor too. This happen when running a stove on low for extended periods of time; a lot of oxygen but not enough heat. One downside of the OAK. The brand of pellet you use can have some effect on this too, i.e hardwood vs. softwood. You are also burning wood pellets in a stove designed for corn or multi fuel use. You may not have enough draft through the burn pot. I believe that it is recommended that you burn your stove on high for at least 1 hr once a week. And you may need a special burn pot for wood only application. Check with American Energy on that.

I've seen this with a lot of St. Croix Lancasters that were sold as multi fuel but did not come with the wood pellet burn pot. A few other brands have been guilty of this too in the rush to provide stoves when there was no stove available.

Make sure you get all of the creosote out of the pipe before you reuse it or buy new pipe. Make sure your stove is ok too.

I have also seen creosote build up in ash drawers on pedestal stoves when the stove is not completely secure to the pedestal stand. PelPro Bay Window and Breckwell P2000 have been guilty of this.
Click to expand...

I went to AES's website and saw the different burn pot. It's cast iron and supposedly burns hotter. I will pick one up for next season. I took the cover off the combustion blower and it was crusty but not built up I scraped it all down and vacuumed out the housing. I agree with your reasoning about low heat. Pellets or not, low temps can cause a creosote buildup. It's funny, with all the attention I have given this stove and how hard I work cleaning it, that I had this fire. (sigh)

Chan
 
Glad to hear it was kept under control.
I do not know what your stove manual says,
but I'd recommend running it on high for
at least a half hour every day. This is what it says
for my stove in the St Croix manual.
You may not have this same stove, but the
principal is the same. Going into my sixth year with
this St Croix Prescott and I've never had
any creosote buildup inside my stove, fans,
or in the pipes while following these recommendations. Much luck to you.
 
Chan,

I am glad that you and the family are all Ok. And this was but a bad scare! Let us know if the burn pot does the trick and gives a hotter burn for you!

Hope you all have settled down from this event. Take care!
jay
 
Thanks guys....The owners manual does say to run it on high for an hour a week. I admit to not following this bit of advise. I start the stove on three and it runs at that setting until the thermostat is happy then it goes to one. In this weather, that takes only minutes so I can see it not getting hot enough until the wife lit it on a cold morning....and the rest, as they say, is history. I have learned a valuable lesson!

Chan
 
Glad everything is ok......I did not think a pellet stove pipe could get that hot. That makes me a bit nervous.
 
smwilliamson said:
mralias said:
Glad everything is ok......I did not think a pellet stove pipe could get that hot. That makes me a bit nervous.
Click to expand...

It doesn't until the creosote catches fire. This happens back in th motor area then extends as far as the creosote
Click to expand...

That explains a lot. I was wondering how far down the pipe the fire started. Looking at the pipe, it seems that there was fire at the "T". That's only 10 inches from the combustion blower.

Chan
 
From experience I found out high moisture content pellets will cause creosote. Like getting damp sitting in a plastic covered container all summer in the house.
 
Good quick thinking with the fire extinguisher. I keep one next to the stove in case there is a hopper fire. Also taught every one in the house how to use it.
 
Meneillys Woodland Products said:
Good quick thinking with the fire extinguisher. I keep one next to the stove in case there is a hopper fire. Also taught every one in the house how to use it.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm a nut about fire safety. My wife and kids all know where the extinguishers are and how to use them. Never thought they would be put to the test though!

Chan
 
glad every one and thing is ok , tought my wife how to use the extinguisher have one at the side door and others thruout the house ,need to get a ladder tho. i read somewhere that before shutting the stove down run it on high for an hour. mighta been here or talking with others
 
I let the house cool down to a lower t-stat setting when gone out for the day or work. Than crank it up to max to warm up the houe when I get home. That way when the stove runs at low temps for long times no build ups over time.
 
smwilliamson said:
slls said:
From experience I found out high moisture content pellets will cause creosote. Like getting damp sitting in a plastic covered container all summer in the house.
Click to expand...

pellets do not absorb ambient moisture through humidity.
Click to expand...

How did you come to this conclusion, when I know from experience it does.
 
slls said:
smwilliamson said:
slls said:
From experience I found out high moisture content pellets will cause creosote. Like getting damp sitting in a plastic covered container all summer in the house.
Click to expand...

pellets do not absorb ambient moisture through humidity.
Click to expand...

How did you come to this conclusion, when I know from experience it does.
Click to expand...
smwilliamson speaks the truth. The shiny surface of the pellets is the result of high pressures (45,000 PSI ) and temperatures (200F) that partially plasticize the ligin in the wood and evaporate terpenes during the production process. The surface protects the pellets from absorbing any significant amount of airborne water vapor under normal atmospheric conditions. However, as we all know, pellets must be protected from direct water penetration. If exposed to water droplets, from condensation for example, they will decompose.
 
Meneillys Woodland Products said:
Good quick thinking with the fire extinguisher. I keep one next to the stove in case there is a hopper fire. Also taught every one in the house how to use it.
Click to expand...

Please move it to beside the exit from the room the stove is in. You don't want to reach thru a fire to get your extinguisher. Same applies to that one hanging on the wall behind the kitchen range in case of a grease fire. BUT, nobody ever listens.
 
hossthehermit said:
Meneillys Woodland Products said:
Good quick thinking with the fire extinguisher. I keep one next to the stove in case there is a hopper fire. Also taught every one in the house how to use it.
Click to expand...

Please move it to beside the exit from the room the stove is in. You don't want to reach thru a fire to get your extinguisher. Same applies to that one hanging on the wall behind the kitchen range in case of a grease fire. BUT, nobody ever listens.
Click to expand...

Agreed! I recommend people have at least TWO on hand. You never know when one isn't going to work or you need more than one. I also recommend at least one of them be a decent size instead of those small ones that look like a 1 liter bottles.
 
BDPVT said:
slls said:
smwilliamson said:
slls said:
From experience I found out high moisture content pellets will cause creosote. Like getting damp sitting in a plastic covered container all summer in the house.
Click to expand...

pellets do not absorb ambient moisture through humidity.
Click to expand...

How did you come to this conclusion, when I know from experience it does.
Click to expand...
smwilliamson speaks the truth. The shiny surface of the pellets is the result of high pressures (45,000 PSI ) and temperatures (200F) that partially plasticize the ligin in the wood and evaporate terpenes during the production process. The surface protects the pellets from absorbing any significant amount of airborne water vapor under normal atmospheric conditions. However, as we all know, pellets must be protected from direct water penetration. If exposed to water droplets, from condensation for example, they will decompose.
Click to expand...

While not agreeing or disagreeing (because I really don't know the answer), wouldn't the ENDS of each pellet be able to absorb water vapor as they don't have that protective surface?

FWIW, I've stored pellets in my basement and kept them in their bags without any issues yet.
 
Thanks everyone for the comments and advice. I have three extinguishers near the stove so that no matter where I am, I can get one and use it without running through the fire. I also have one in my basement and one in my bedroom. Same with my motorhome. I have one in the bedroom and one by the door as well as one in an outside compartment. It's a small price to pay for safety. I will modify how I run the stove so I won't have this problem again. It's funny, I've been burning Okies and Cubex exclusively and they had both been stored inside a warehouse.. Must have been my low fire burning.

Chan
 
hossthehermit said:
Meneillys Woodland Products said:
Good quick thinking with the fire extinguisher. I keep one next to the stove in case there is a hopper fire. Also taught every one in the house how to use it.
Click to expand...

Please move it to beside the exit from the room the stove is in. You don't want to reach thru a fire to get your extinguisher. Same applies to that one hanging on the wall behind the kitchen range in case of a grease fire. BUT, nobody ever listens.
Click to expand...

I have one in every room of the house and one about 5 feet from the stove. From what I understand hopper fires tend to stay in the hopper for the most part untill you open the lid. I live in a single wide trailer on an acre of land that is about 45 min from the fire department so I take the fire prevention stuff to the max. I even have a high volume hose hooked up to the well with its own power off the poll.
 
Maybe you better let a Professional do the cleaning next time. Maybe there is something you missed or didn't clean very well
and thought you did. Glad everything worked out alright for you and no one was hurt.
 
Glad you folks are Ok and that there was no damage.

One thing we all must remember, we are bringing fire into our home and we must keep a watchful eye on it.

Even though pellet stoves are for the most part, safe, there can always be supprises.

I would not let this incident get you all worked up, but instead just modify the way you run the stove.


I wonder if adding a little bit of that product that kills creosote in wood stoves would work with a pellet stove ???


Snowy
 
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