Show of hands

[JCass]

Who here has had a full blown chimney fire? Could you share some insight?

JC

 

[firefighterjake]

Never had one . . . but been to a few.

 

[corey21]

Never had one i clean the pipes once a year and try my very best to burn hot.

Edit. Even growing up never seen one and was around to see how my grand father run the piss out of a pre EPA stove.

 

[remkel]

Was driving to work one morning and saw flames shooting out 8' from one chimney. Everyone was outside watching in awe. Also drove by a home near work as they were dousing one out. Never had the "pleasure" of having one in my home, although, I was shocked I never had one considering the condition of my old clay lined chimney before I put in the SS liner.

 

[BrotherBart]

Had several with the old insert. Never knew it until I would look down the flue or when I pulled the stove to clean the chimney. Spotless tiles in the chimney and a pile of "popcorn" creosote laying behind it and on top of it.

But I was sitting in my neighbors family room one time when his took off like a rocket. Just like the stories say it sounded like a freight train and crap was shooting out of the top of the flue. I gave him a chimney brush for Christmas that year.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Sadly I've seen some chimney fires and some results of chimney fires. Fortunately after over 50 years of heating with wood we have never had a chimney fire nor do we ever expect to.

 

[Pallet Pete]

We had a couple when we where still at home it was a accepted practice to fire the sucker and let it rip to clean the flue back then. No way I would be caught doing that now that I know better. It sounds like a train going through your basement and coming out the walls totally terrifying !

Pete

 

[Isaac Carlson]

We had one up at the family cabin when I was a kid. Not sure if it was a critter nest or creosote, but there was a jet of flame shooting out of the chimney and sparks everywhere for a minute or two and then it was quiet. No damage to flue. It started off sounding like wind in the chimney and only took a few seconds to turn into a big rumble.

 

[firefighterjake]

You may by now see a recurring theme . . . chimney fires in other folk's chimneys . . . or from when folks were younger. Fortunately, some folks have "got it" and realize that burning well seasoned wood at the right temp and inspecting and cleaning chimneys greatly reduces the chances of ever getting a chimney fire . . . whereas folks who continue to burn unseasoned wood like their father or grandfather did, burn too cool or never inspect and clean their chimney . . . well . . . let's just say myself or someone dressed a lot like me will probably be visiting them at some point this winter.