Crazy Question - Dousing a fire in wood burning insert

[nhboy603]

My better half is curious about what is the impact of pouring water on an existing fire inside a wood burning insert (such as a Napoleon High Country 3000) in order to douse the flames.

I know, I know -- there should be no reason to pour water on it, but she has lived in homes with 2 house fires (fireplace related) and we have two friends who have had house fires (non-fireplace related) and she is very uncomfortable with just letting it "burn out" when we're gone/done.

I can imagine creosote problems and firebrick problems. Anything else?

Any thoughts?

Hank

 

[Jags]

Broken stove problems. Huge mess problems. Caustic lye problems (water and wood ash).

None of these may be of any factor if you are trying to extinguish an out of control stove (or are in the process of a nasty fire), but throwing water in my stove will be the very last thing I do as I run away from my home.

Get a Chimfex for each hand an hand it to her. If she can get close enough to open the door and throw water, she can lob a couple of them things in the stove even easier.

Oh - and don't forget the most important step...have your local Fire Department rolling first and foremost.

 

[BruceNorEast]

It sounds like your wife wants to do this as a regular process - whenever you have to leave the stove unattended - is that right?

I've heard that you can crack the stove doing this, and get severe burns due to the water flashing to steam.

My guess is that she'll come around and learn to trust the stove in time. Good luck!

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Any thoughts?

Yes. Do not let her quench the fire. Ever. Under any circumstances.

Tell her that is a far more dangerous practice than letting it burn out (not dangerous at all) and dramatically increases the odds of house fires.

 

[toddnic]

Definitely don't put water on the fire. I'd use a bucket of sand. It'll put the fire out.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thoughts . . .

1st thought: Best bet might be to only do the fires on weekends and days off . . . let her see the fire from start to finish. Perhaps after seeing a few fires and realizing that a wood insert with controllable air with a contained fire is a whole other critter compared to a fireplace that has few if any controls. In time she may realize there is nothing to fear . . . providing the system (chimney and stove are maintained), seasoned wood is burned and the stove is operated correctly.

2nd thought: Not to be cavalier, but perhaps this is something that should have been discussed before . . . I mean to say, with no disrespect, that for some folks burning wood is not the answer to their heating needs whether it be due to fears, money, time, etc.

Not sure if it helps . . . but you can also point out that on this forum there are more than a few veteran firefighters and fire safety experts who heat with wood who are very comfortable with allowing their stove to run while they sleep or leave the home . . . it truly all comes back to installing the stove right, maintaining the stove right and running the stove right (with the properly seasoned fuel.)

 

[nhboy603]

All - I appreciate your replies.

Jags - the image of doing it the last thing while running away from the house brought a good laugh from her.

I think, after a visit to our local fireplace store, she is much more comfortable now.

Thanks again!

 

[Silenced38]

In the event i needed to shut down a fire. I would/have just shoveled ash on it from, the ash bucket. Youll be surprised how quick it go out. The coals will still be smoldering under the ash. But the flames will be gone.

 

[Spletz]

Call me crazy, but a simple ABC fire extinguisher nearby would solve her fears and kill any out of control fire. When you go to buy one, buy three. Think kitchen, fireplace etc.

 

[bobdog2o02]

If i needed to put it out to leave home i would have a bunch of sand or baking soda on hand................

 

[osagebow]

Good luck NH- I had a similar deal with the wife, she had lost kin in a chimney/ house fire. Took 2 years to get a pellet stove. We burned pellets 3 years, then eased into wood. 3 years into it, she loves burning wood.

When I asked her to bring the baking soda down last fall, my younger son said "bacon soda??? I want some bacon soda!!"

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Call me crazy, but a simple ABC fire extinguisher nearby would solve her fears and kill any out of control fire. When you go to buy one, buy three. Think kitchen, fireplace etc.

I think the OP was talking about routine fires left unattended, not a runaway/chimney fire. . .

 

[Treacherous]

I have a few older versions of these around that I got off of eBay. Hopefully never need them but there in case something did happen.

 

[DonnaCooper]

I would recommend your wife to use bucket of sand to let fire off rather than using water.