Chimney Fire stopper

[sandie]

There is a thing to throw in a fire to stop a chimney fire I looks like a stick in a paper covering but forget the name of it and think I would like to have one by my stove at all times. I was told by and old timer it works not sure how but it works to stop a chimney fire. Any one know the name of this thing and where to buy them?

 

[spirilis]

ChimFex. I've seen it at Walmart, Home Depot, ACE hardware, etc...

 

[firefighterjake]

Of course you could save your money Sandie and burn well seasoned wood and do frequent checks and cleanings (when necessary) and not even have a chimney fire to worry about . . . in my book that's a much better course of action.

 

[tfdchief]

Of course you could save your money Sandie and burn well seasoned wood and do frequent checks and cleanings (when necessary) and not even have a chimney fire to worry about . . . in my book that's a much better course of action.

I agree with FFjake to a degree. Nothing wrong with being prepared just in case! Dry Chem. powder in baggies tossed in the firebox can work. A spray bottle with water that you can apply "SMALL" amounts of water, a little at a time, to create steam that goes up the chimney sometimes works as well. Just don't put a lot of water in at once....small amounts, a little at a time. The steam you create is what will start slowing down the chimney fire. Oh.....CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT! in case things go bad. Don't wait.

 

[colebrookman]

Nix the spray water. Don't open the door and feed more air. Baggies down the chimney usually work well, but call the fire dept. first before wasting time. If it gets into the walls or attic you now have a structure fire. Be safe.
Ed

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Of course you could save your money Sandie and burn well seasoned wood and do frequent checks and cleanings (when necessary) and not even have a chimney fire to worry about . . . in my book that's a much better course of action.

Jake has it right.

I've burned wood for over 50 years and we've never had a chimney fire. We don't burn green wood. Exception was one winter we burned green ash but we cleaned the chimney several times that winter also. Still no chimney fire.

Being prepared is what tfdchief says and I agree. That preparation comes with burning the right fuel. Would you burn dirty oil in an oil furnace? Would you burn dirty gas? Why would anyone accept dirty or poor fuel? Do it right from the beginning and then you are prepared and need not worry.

 

[tfdchief]

Nix the spray water. Don't open the door and feed more air. Baggies down the chimney usually work well, but call the fire dept. first before wasting time. If it gets into the walls or attic you now have a structure fire. Be safe.
Ed

Colebrookman, Of course you should call the fire department first. I said that. However, depending on your location, the fire department may be far enough away that you may have to try to help yourself and hopefully avoid the structure fire. The longer the chimney fire burns, the more likely the structure will catch on fire. I have been in the fire service for 31 years and gone to a lot of chimney fires. They will get all the air they need whether you open the doors on the fire box or not. The fire in the fire box can be a tool to create a little steam which I guarantee will slow if not put out the chimney fire (I have done it more than once) The baggies down the chimney work well for firefighters but I would not advocate a homeowner crawling to the roof to do that. In fact, I have seen the chimney fire out on top and still burning in the chimney, below a complete blockage. That one, you will have to put out from below, through the fire box.
I was only trying to give him some tools to help slow or put the chimney fire out, until the fire department arrives. Then they can deal with it effectively....put out the chimney fire, check for extension, or worst case fight the structure fire.

 

[sandie]

I am not planning on having a fire in chimney but always like to be prepared. I have a masonary firechimney, and stove pipe going up that chimney. There is only one floor to the part of the house this is in and it backs to the garage so hope to never have the fire but want to have something. Have an extinquisher nearby but have a fireplace mat that is stone and 2" thick and four feet from front of stove out into room. That is why I am going to have hte stove moved out of the walls of the fireplace hearth and into the room, I am losing lots of heat off the stove to the stones and up the chimney because no plate at the bottom of the chimney, there is one at the top but the heat from stove goes right up the chimney so want that blocking metal to hold heat in the room not up chimney.

 

[colebrookman]

Nix the spray water. Don't open the door and feed more air. Baggies down the chimney usually work well, but call the fire dept. first before wasting time. If it gets into the walls or attic you now have a structure fire. Be safe.
Ed

Colebrookman, Of course you should call the fire department first. I said that. However, depending on your location, the fire department may be far enough away that you may have to try to help yourself and hopefully avoid the structure fire. The longer the chimney fire burns, the more likely the structure will catch on fire. I have been in the fire service for 31 years and gone to a lot of chimney fires. They will get all the air they need whether you open the doors on the fire box or not. The fire in the fire box can be a tool to create a little steam which I guarantee will slow if not put out the chimney fire (I have done it more than once) The baggies down the chimney work well for firefighters but I would not advocate a homeowner crawling to the roof to do that. In fact, I have seen the chimney fire out on top and still burning in the chimney, below a complete blockage. That one, you will have to put out from below, through the fire box.
I was only trying to give him some tools to help slow or put the chimney fire out, until the fire department arrives. Then they can deal with it effectively....put out the chimney fire, check for extension, or worst case fight the structure fire.

You make some excellent points "tfdchief". When we arrive we have full PPE, it's not our house and we have done it many times before. I just cringe when homeowners who may be in their jammies start opening stove doors regardless of the fire intensity. How many kitchen fires burn down the house when people play firemen. I just prefer to err on the side of caution. One mans opinion. Be safe.
Ed

 

[sandie]

Oh I forgot, I am not one to get on the roof and look down the chimney for creosote, that is what the chimney sweep does and do not want to put them out of work if you know what I mean.
Still need DRY wood, Still LOOKING!

 

[tfdchief]

Nix the spray water. Don't open the door and feed more air. Baggies down the chimney usually work well, but call the fire dept. first before wasting time. If it gets into the walls or attic you now have a structure fire. Be safe.
Ed

Colebrookman, Of course you should call the fire department first. I said that. However, depending on your location, the fire department may be far enough away that you may have to try to help yourself and hopefully avoid the structure fire. The longer the chimney fire burns, the more likely the structure will catch on fire. I have been in the fire service for 31 years and gone to a lot of chimney fires. They will get all the air they need whether you open the doors on the fire box or not. The fire in the fire box can be a tool to create a little steam which I guarantee will slow if not put out the chimney fire (I have done it more than once) The baggies down the chimney work well for firefighters but I would not advocate a homeowner crawling to the roof to do that. In fact, I have seen the chimney fire out on top and still burning in the chimney, below a complete blockage. That one, you will have to put out from below, through the fire box.
I was only trying to give him some tools to help slow or put the chimney fire out, until the fire department arrives. Then they can deal with it effectively....put out the chimney fire, check for extension, or worst case fight the structure fire.

You make some excellent points "tfdchief". When we arrive we have full PPE, it's not our house and we have done it many times before. I just cringe when homeowners who may be in their jammies start opening stove doors regardless of the fire intensity. How many kitchen fires burn down the house when people play firemen. I just prefer to err on the side of caution. One mans opinion. Be safe.
Ed

Colebrookman, I do not disagree with that. I just hate to see someone not help themselves a little if they are capable. I guess each person will have to decide whether they are or not. You are right, some people should not do anything except CALL 911 AND LEAVE THE HOUSE. So all of you out there who are not confident and capable....Disregard what I said.

 

[Gooserider]

TOTAL Disagreement on the water in the firebox - can you say BLEVE? - aka Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor EXPLOSION? Great way to get 1st to 3rd degree burns over large portions of ones body, and blow flaming material out of the metal firebox into the combustible stove room...

I got a couple big containers of fire extinguisher dry chem powder (had a dead fire extinguisher, just unscrewed the valve and dumped out the powder...) If you need to chuck those in, but never water...

Gooserider

 

[tfdchief]

TOTAL Disagreement on the water in the firebox - can you say BLEVE? - aka Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor EXPLOSION? Great way to get 1st to 3rd degree burns over large portions of ones body, and blow flaming material out of the metal firebox into the combustible stove room...

I got a couple big containers of fire extinguisher dry chem powder (had a dead fire extinguisher, just unscrewed the valve and dumped out the powder...) If you need to chuck those in, but never water...

Gooserider

First of all, just forget I posted the advise. It is for some one who understands what could happen if you did it incorrectly, which I tried to explain (from actual experience) As I said....SMALL AMOUNTS OF WATER! The flue is drafting hard so the small amount of water, turned to steam, goes up the flue, and does not blow fire out into the room. Secondly, water does not BLEVE (unless contained in a pressure vessel), ussually flamable liquids are associated with BLEVEs.

 

[colebrookman]

There are some great BLEVE examples on YouTube. Big Big Boom!! :bug: Be safe.
Ed

PS nice weather site chief.

 

[firefighterjake]

OK TFD and Colebrook . . . to your corners . . . now come back, let us all hold hands and start singing . . . Kumbaya My Lord . . . Kumbaya.

All kidding aside I think we can agree on at least one point: Home owners should call 911.

And perhaps you both will agree with my original post . . . that the best way to avoid a chimney fire, having to call 911 and buying a chimney saver stick (or whatever they're calling it these days) is to burn seasoned wood, burn at the proper temps and check and clean the chimney frequently.

And maybe . . . just maybe . . . we can find some compromises in techniques. May I suggest for folk using masonry chimneys without a liner (we still see a lot of folks doing this in my neck of the woods) that they can use a little bit of water . . . but they can apply this small amount of water in the masonry chimney's cleanout . . . where typically the hot creosote will drop . . . and where you could put a 1/4 cup of water at a time on the hot coal which would of course convert to steam (and steam has more volume), rise up on the draft and effectively put out the fire without risking the homeowner to much danger.

And perhaps we could even suggest that in the case of a lined chimney -- one without a cleanout -- that the best course of action may in fact be closing off all the air to the stove by shutting the air control, damper if present and the primary air supply . . . depending on where the chimney fire is occuring this may be effective . . . and would at the very least be safe to the homeowner.

OK, now let's get back to singing . . . Kumbaya my Colebrookman . . . Kumbaya . . . Kumbaya my TFDChief . . . OK, Goose . . . feel free to jump in here anytime and start singing.

 

[tfdchief]

Jake, I'm singing, I'm singing! :snake: Really, I was just trying to help....share my 31 years of experience with those who thought they might be capable of using it. Never meant to get anyone rilled up, including me.

 

[BrotherBart]

tfdchief one of the things that needs to be kept in mind is that the flue gases on a EPA non-cat stove exit at the front of the stove just behind the door. Pulling open the door creates a path of least resistance that pulls the smoke and fire hitting the baffle right out into the room and your face.

 

[sandie]

I appreciate all of your advice and I am going to have the Chim-Fex stick just to have. I have a stone chimney that leads down to fireplace, NO clean out and now the wood stove is hooked up to stove pipe that goes up the chimney. To my knowledge there is no lining in the chimney so if I had a fire it would be in the stove pipe and trying to have hot fires for at least 15 min so creosote would burn off if it is there. I do see soot on the underneath of the top loading door (griddle) of the VC Resolute circa 1985 I have. If it is there is it like that up the stove pipe? You would thing it would not be there but....
I am going into the woods to see if I can scrounge some wood since I am having a hard time finding good wood for sale around here, either wet "kiln dried" or unseasoned "seasoned wood" is what is for sale.
I did find a guy in lower NH who is selling Kiln dried wood but wants "1/2 cord "lawful stacked cord" : ( 64 cu ft ) 2 rows @ 16"x 92"x 38' high ) $690.00 (+ delivery)" and stacked . Can you believe that pricing??????????????? I almost fell out of my chair. Now I will say he kiln dries it, then stores in dry place but still.........
I do need wood, I have bought wood that was supposed to be kiln dried but it must have been stored underwater as it is soaking wet since I got it and now is 2 weeks later and still wet sitting out in the breezes and covered if it rains.

 

[colebrookman]

Gee, firefighters disagreeing, never happens. Okay I lie. But that's the best part of the forum. We have all types sharing their knowledge but it's still up to the reader to determine what's best for them. If you're comfortable up on the roof cleaning your chimney, go for it. If not hire a pro but don't miss the message that chimneys must be cleaned, period. Same with chimney fires. Clean chimneys and dry wood reduce the chance of fire drastically, yet we go to fires and take out buckets of creosote and the owner swears he just cleaned the chimney yesterday. The United States has one of the worst fire safety records because people put it on the back burner, (ya I know) until the sh'' hits the fan. Bottom line, if you're having any fire or CO problem, call the fire dept. first, listen to the dispatcher and their advice. It also helps to have a plan: you do have a plan!! Be safe. Kumbaya My Lord . . . Kumbaya. smile wink
Ed

 

[tfdchief]

tfdchief one of the things that needs to be kept in mind is that the flue gases on a EPA non-cat stove exit at the front of the stove just behind the door. Pulling open the door creates a path of least resistance that pulls the smoke and fire hitting the baffle right out into the room and your face.

GOOD POINT. I have gone to a lot of flue fires, but never one in a flue with an EPA stove.

 

[tfdchief]

I appreciate all of your advice and I am going to have the Chim-Fex stick just to have. I have a stone chimney that leads down to fireplace, NO clean out and now the wood stove is hooked up to stove pipe that goes up the chimney. To my knowledge there is no lining in the chimney so if I had a fire it would be in the stove pipe and trying to have hot fires for at least 15 min so creosote would burn off if it is there. I do see soot on the underneath of the top loading door (griddle) of the VC Resolute circa 1985 I have. If it is there is it like that up the stove pipe? You would thing it would not be there but....
I am going into the woods to see if I can scrounge some wood since I am having a hard time finding good wood for sale around here, either wet "kiln dried" or unseasoned "seasoned wood" is what is for sale.
I did find a guy in lower NH who is selling Kiln dried wood but wants "1/2 cord "lawful stacked cord" : ( 64 cu ft ) 2 rows @ 16"x 92"x 38' high ) $690.00 (+ delivery)" and stacked . Can you believe that pricing??????????????? I almost fell out of my chair. Now I will say he kiln dries it, then stores in dry place but still.........
I do need wood, I have bought wood that was supposed to be kiln dried but it must have been stored underwater as it is soaking wet since I got it and now is 2 weeks later and still wet sitting out in the breezes and covered if it rains.

Sandie, Hope I did not confuse you with my postings. Just trying to help. I agree with all the posts that the best thing to do is burn good dry wood, burn it correctly, and God forbid if you do have problems, call 911. The fire department is properly equipped to deal with it. The ChimFlex is a good idea just in case you think you can use it. Good luck and keep a watchful eye on the creosote. Steve

 

[sandie]

Never fear, if I have a chimney fire it will be 911 to the rescue but in waiting for them to arrive thought the Chim-Fex will help.
Is chimney cleaning before each season sound enough since you will not be seeing me on the roof looking down stove pipe for sure, no way. I can hardly walk on even ground for goodness sakes.

 

[colebrookman]

Not if your wood is wet, you burn cool or you let it smolder all day or at night. Pay someone to recheck after a few months or sooner if you glass door is always smudged up so you can hardly see the flames. Dry wood is safe wood. Be safe.
Ed

 

[kbrown]

Ironically, the ChimFex sticks were not available for a couple years and have only recently returned to the market....the reason....THE PLANT BURNED DOWN! :-S
Been on my share of chimney fires; usually on Christmas Eve when everyone wants to have that nice crackling fire in the fireplace that hasn't seen anything more than a match stick in it over the past year. Never been on one where it was an experienced wood burner. We like using the baggie method or if the roof is too unsafe, the dry chem up the stack. Works great. I agree with tfdchief that SMALL amounts of water will work; I forget the conversion factor of water to steam, but it's well in the thousands of times so in this case, a little really will go a long way. We teach the new guys about this when fighting structure fires to prevent flashover; it's called penciling and short quick bursts can really put a fire out.

 

[colebrookman]

heatit the expansion factor is around 1 part water to 1,700 steam so as you say a little goes a long way. Be safe.
Ed