How do you know you are having a chimney fire?
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Often times people will report hearing the flue roar, like a train. You may also hear creosote "raining" down the pipe as it breaks free from the walls of the chimney. Sparks / excessive smoke from the chimney or a glowing cap can also indicate a chimney fire.
Here is a link that you may be interested in.
http://www.csia.org/HomeownerResources/ChimneySafetyInfo/ChimneyFireFacts/tabid/126/Default.aspx
pen
Here is a link that you may be interested in.
http://www.csia.org/HomeownerResources/ChimneySafetyInfo/ChimneyFireFacts/tabid/126/Default.aspx
pen
JonP
Member
Two main signs are if you hear a roaring sound in your flue and if you see sparks (or fire) coming out of your chimney. I have, fortunately, never experienced one but I am a firefighter and these are things homeowners have reported when we arrive and things that some people on this site have described. The two main avoidance strategies are to burn only seasoned wood and to clean the chimney regularly.
Perhaps remind you of the sound your car's exhaust makes after you shut it off? If so, it's just the metal expanding and contracting.
In another thread someone described what to be concerned about as hearing sleet or hail coming down the pipe. I think that is a good description.
pen
In another thread someone described what to be concerned about as hearing sleet or hail coming down the pipe. I think that is a good description.
pen
RORY12553 said:
Is that the stove heating up?
What stove do you have? Is it a Steel plate stove??
Metal makes strange noises when it heats (expands) and cools (contracts).
swestall
Minister of Fire
One thing is that the smoke coming out (outside) will have a distinct smell to it, more like a chemical than regular wood smoke.
And there may be a lot of it.
The first thing to do is choke it down to starve it of oxygen. Many keep a Chimney fire supressant handy. It is a chemical that chokes the chimney fire. If you can choke it the outcome may be better than other methods as you may save the flue.
It is always better to have a SS liner as they survive these incidents better.
EPA stoves keep cleaner flues and are far less suceptable to creosote build up that causes C fires.
And there may be a lot of it.
The first thing to do is choke it down to starve it of oxygen. Many keep a Chimney fire supressant handy. It is a chemical that chokes the chimney fire. If you can choke it the outcome may be better than other methods as you may save the flue.
It is always better to have a SS liner as they survive these incidents better.
EPA stoves keep cleaner flues and are far less suceptable to creosote build up that causes C fires.
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
pen said:
I just read through that link and noticed this, which I am confused by "Never burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, trash or Christmas trees; these can spark a chimney fire ."
Christmas trees? Are they actually refering to stuffing an entire tree in a fireplace?! Or the branches? I can see if you have creosote buildup, how that could, since those burn HOT.
I have to say the idea of a slow burning chimney fire is kinda scary, since you probably woouldn't even know it was occuring....I didn't know that was possible, I figured once creosote got going it wouldn't be "slow burning".
argus66
Feeling the Heat
Swedishchef
Minister of Fire
Everyone says that a chimney fire sounds like a train roaring. I just would like to point something out: my stove has a bypass damper. When I light the stove, I keep the bypass open. It helps warm the flu fast. However, you must close the damper once the fire is going decent. I usually keep it open for 4-6 minutes from the moment my supercedars take to my bar b q lighter. However, the odd time I have been dumb (left for 5 mins) and have come downstairs to that "roaring" sound. In my case, that sound is simply the dtrong draft pulling air like a pig through the stove "woomf woomf woomf". But that also means "close the bypass damper you a$$ before you burn your house down". And that is why they make the damper lever removable so kids can't play with it.
IF you have flames coming out of your chimney, there's a fire. Large sounds that don't stop coming from the chimney even when the stove is turned down can be a fire...
Good luck
A
IF you have flames coming out of your chimney, there's a fire. Large sounds that don't stop coming from the chimney even when the stove is turned down can be a fire...
Good luck
A
n3pro
Minister of Fire
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
Uh, yikes. This came up in the sidebar, chimfex vid-too bad they did a drawing demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcw1qx7t1ig&feature=related
Fake coal burner
Feeling the Heat
eclecticcottage said:
Cardboard burns very hot very fast and it's easy to fill a firebox w/ flames by burning it sending active flames up the flue, or just plain getting the flue too hot, and getting a chimney fire as a result. 3 of the last 3 chimney fires that acquaintances of mine had, were started by burning cardboard. Obviously, poor practices prior led to the cardboard starting the fire, but you get the idea.
In many places folks don't have a way to dispose of a tree. To many, having a tree they can't get rid of and a fire (and probably a few drinks mixed in) ends up with a bad idea put into action.
As far as a slow fire goes, best I can say is that it would depend on what type and how much creosote was in the chimney. Maybe if someone caught the stove over firing at just the right time and turned they air down enough that it could be possible to slow the stove and a chimney fire into the type they mention?
pen
neumsky
Minister of Fire
n3pro said:
What the hay??? I did'nt hear no sirens either. While all the while...he's videoing it. What a DA!
albertj03
Minister of Fire
Put a thermometer on your stove pipe. If the needle moves really fast and redlines, you might be having a chimney fire.
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
pen said:
So they actually ARE talking about someone trying to stuff a tree in a fireplace? Yikes.
I have to admit that when I was a kid we burned the wrapping paper in my grandparent's fireplace. Cardboard too. Dont ever recall anything about chimney fires there though.
albertj03
Minister of Fire
I think they just mean that you shouldn't cut up your Christmas tree and use it as firewood. The reason this is not recommended is that by the time people take down the tree it's usually dry as a bone and they burn extremely hot and fast which coould easily set off a chimney fire if there is any creosote build up in the pipe or chimney. I've burned plenty of Christmas trees in my annual spring clean up brush fires and I'm always amazed at how fast they burn. I've seen them give off some really crazy greenish flames too.
SmokeyCity
Feeling the Heat
RORY12553 said:
Id like to see this turn into a top 10 signs that you are having a chimney fire.
Ill start:
#10: you look out the window and a crowd across the street is pointing at the top of your roof line.
#9: OK 1 more.. and they are breaking out the marshmellows
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
albertj03 said:
I partly agree. I wouldn't use the branches, especially with the needles still on them. However, the trunk should be fine-plenty of folks burn seasoned pine. Earlier in the article it mentioned seasoned was more important than species. Although if someone added some sort of preservative to the water when the tree was up...hm. Might account for the crazy flames.
tcassavaugh
Minister of Fire
RORY12553 said:
neighbors on the lawn with marshmellows.....
. all kidding aside, the noise, the smell, the sometimes roaring......and sometimes glowing at the top of the chimney or sometimes even embers spewing from it....you'll probably know.cass
Thank you to everyone who took the time out to make a post. I'm new to this and want to make sure i'm as knowledgeable as i can be about the hazards. Thank god i'm saving a lot on oil or else all this work wouldn't be worth it at all! LOL
ozzy73
Burning Hunk
Black Jaque Janaviac
Feeling the Heat
I have a VC Montpelier and it roars when the door is open. I just assumed this was the sound of flames getting sucked around the baffle and/or a very strong draft (20+ foot chimney).
It sounds like it may be possible to have a chimney fire and not even know it. I take it then that it is possible that some chimney fires just burn out without much damage? Or am I wrong?
It sounds like it may be possible to have a chimney fire and not even know it. I take it then that it is possible that some chimney fires just burn out without much damage? Or am I wrong?
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