Signs of Chimney Fire?

[MagdalenaP]

I'd like to be prepared for the "what if's"...what are the signs of a chimney fire?
Does one more likely start at the beginning of fire, or end? At the top of the flue or bottom?Certain smoke color?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Ludlow]

I would say after a fresh reload on coals and then you walk away and forget you left the air wide open.

 

[HomeinPA]

I'd like to be prepared for the "what if's"...what are the signs of a chimney fire?
Does one more likely start at the beginning of fire, or end? At the top of the flue or bottom?Certain smoke color?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

I've cleaned them plugged at the top, bottom and everywhere in between from a fire. In terracotta and stainless steel flues both, it doesn't matter. If you're outside you'll see black smoke rolling out of the flue and/or you'll see sparks and flames shooting out the top. If you're in the room with the stove you might see and hear the stovepipes start to vibrate and they say it'll sound like a roar in the chimney. Ludlow is right though, many times people load it up and get distracted and forget to close down the damper.

 

[MagdalenaP]

I would say after a fresh reload on coals and then you walk away and forget you left the air wide open.

Thanks, I was hoping to get more advanced answers, as this is common sense for overfiring. 153 views, I'm sure some would like to hear answers to my question as well.

Anyone else have some "old man" knowledge that could really help?

So far we have:

1. Black smoke
2. Sparks/flames (obviously)
3. Vibrating stove pipe
4. Roar sound

Anything else?

 

[David.Ervin]

When the creosote in my chimney cap caught fire, there was a very distinctive stinky burning smell outside. Smelled slightly like a wood fire, but more like a tire fire.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thanks, I was hoping to get more advanced answers, as this is common sense for overfiring. 153 views, I'm sure some would like to hear answers to my question as well.

Anyone else have some "old man" knowledge that could really help?

So far we have:

1. Black smoke
2. Sparks/flames (obviously)
3. Vibrating stove pipe
4. Roar sound

Anything else?

That about covers it . . . well and having the firefighters knock on your door to tell you that your neighbor said your chimney is on fire.


Actually, another sign of a small chimney fire can be when you hear what sounds like corn flakes or rice crispies being poured down the flue pipe.

 

[Woody5506]

Actually, another sign of a small chimney fire can be when you hear what sounds like corn flakes or rice crispies being poured down the flue pipe.

I've wondered about this. I hear my chimney crack and pop here and there and didn't give it much thought until this year. Even with a flue probe thermometer in the safe zones I get a few noises during start ups and the initial heating phase. So I guess my question is, is it a chimney fire going on in that lower area of the pipe per say, or flames making their way up there past the baffle from your fire? I guess either way a fire in your chimney is a "chimney fire" but in a more traditional sense I think of a chimney fire as creosote igniting and taking off, as a result of a dirty chimney.

 

[kennyp2339]

Creosote ash around the base of the chimney area, looks like black confetti, easy to see when snow is on the ground

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I had burning chunks of creosote coming out of my chimney kinda like lava. The temp gauge on the stove pipe was also way hotter than normal and there was a hot smell. Smell and temp gauge is what caused me to go outside and check the chimney

 

[MagdalenaP]

Well you are so very welcome! Would you like to sign up for our text notification service? A warning text will be sent approximately 5 minutes before your flue lights off. (Data rates may apply)

What a great contribution to the forum.

 

[maple1]

Thanks, I was hoping to get more advanced answers, as this is common sense for overfiring. 153 views, I'm sure some would like to hear answers to my question as well.

Anyone else have some "old man" knowledge that could really help?

So far we have:

1. Black smoke
2. Sparks/flames (obviously)
3. Vibrating stove pipe
4. Roar sound

Anything else?

I thought your questions were answered.

A fire starts in your chimney - not much in advanced thinking there.

Over time you get a creosote build up. Eventually that buildup will either reach down to where it hits stove/stack temperatures hot enough to ignite it, or the hot stack temperatures rise up enough to ignite it. The latter usually happens when a wind gust hits, maybe combined with opening the stove door at the wrong time, or the door or bypass being left open too long on fresh fuel.

Add a really really hot pipe to the list - not advanced, but fundamental.

Really, any change in the normal is something to try to tune yourself into being aware of.

 

[Winterpeger]

Not meaning to hijack a thread but when I first started out burning I was terrified of creosote buildup in the flue no temp measurement device as I was a novice operated by what I read in Manual and on the net. Weekly I would get a good fire going and then open and close the door a couple of times to clear the flue (in my mind) and I would get these black flakes fluttering down. You couldn’t pick them up to fragile. Tried to ignite a piece (thinking it was creosote) but it wouldn’t burn. Always wondered about these black flakes. Fast forward five years to a couple weeks ago decided to try out my new soot eater for the first time bottom up. Took a photo prior to cleaning and this is what I saw.




It was peeling off the flue as well as a piece hanging of the probe thermo. After cleaning there was maybe ¼ cup in stove and a dark plume out in the snow. Almost everything went up and out the flue during the cleaning. Is this normal?

 

[jetsam]

1/4 cup is fine even in a short flue like that.

And the best way to be ready for a chimney fire is to inspect and clean your flue frequently. I always tell new guys to inspect and clean once a week, and back off from there as experience shows you how often you actually need to do it. Start doing it more frequently in the spring. Warmer temperatures, lower burns, more creosote.

Honestly, plenty of new guys plug their caps in less than a week, so maybe I should be telling them to inspect it every couple days...

If you never inspect your flue, you do not know how much fuel is in it if it should light off. Inspecting and sweeping is free; buying a new house is not.

 

[jetsam]

That about covers it . . . well and having the firefighters knock on your door to tell you that your neighbor said your chimney is on fire.

My grandmother didn't have neighbors but she did have firefighters over to put out her chimney on multiple occasions. Her house had a wood stove and a fireplace for heat. She cleaned the fireplace flue once a year by stuffing the entire old xmas tree up the flue and lighting it off. It took 3 fire department visits over the years to get her to stop...

The same fire department ended up burning that house down as a training exercise (and possibly some amount of revenge) after she sold the farm and moved.

 

[Ben Stark]

I'd like to be prepared for the "what if's"...what are the signs of a chimney fire?
Does one more likely start at the beginning of fire, or end? At the top of the flue or bottom?Certain smoke color?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

I think it would be good to lead the warning signs that sometimes occur before a chimney fire.

A warning sign that you should not ignore is thick, black, shiny creosote. If you’ve got a build up like that in the chimney you are much more likely to have a serious chimney fire if that stuff ever lights off.

Another warning is a chimney/flue that smells like smoke even when the stove is cold. That’s a good indicator you’ve got a dangerous build up.

Sometimes chimney fires don’t give any warnings. People have them and never even know. You may hear and see nothing at all until it’s too late. Burn dry seasoned wood and keep a hot active fire, and make regular inspections of your chimney.

 

[HomeinPA]

Sometimes chimney fires don’t give any warnings. People have them and never even know. You may hear and see nothing at all until it’s too late. Burn dry seasoned wood and keep a hot active fire, and make regular inspections of your chimney.

I've been trying to tell people this for years. "Oh, I've never had a flue fire. I've never seen anything like that. You must be mistaken" Drives me nuts but on any given day that may be a very short trip.

 

[bholler]

I've been trying to tell people this for years. "Oh, I've never had a flue fire. I've never seen anything like that. You must be mistaken" Drives me nuts but on any given day that may be a very short trip.

Yes I know we see burnt creosote plenty of times in chimneys that according to the homeowner never had a chimney fire.

 

[Shmudda]

What a great contribution to the forum.

You will know when there's a chimney fire. Here's how mine went, the only one I've had in 23 years and it was enough

I had just loaded the stove and got distracted and went upstairs. Wife said what's that sound and I could hear the roar of a freight train in the chimney and the chimney tiles popping like a rifle going off. Ran downstairs closed off the damper and air then ran outside to look at the chimney. It looked like a blowtorch with flames coming out of it about four feet in the air. Got a ladder and a heavy stainless cooking pan and scurried up on the roof and slide the pan over the chimney this snuffed the fire out and burnt every hair on my body in some fashion but it saved my house

Swept the chimney and took out about four 5 gallon buckets of ash. Then installed a stainless liner and went on a very strict sweeping schedule and ensured I only burn dry wood. Been good ever since. This happened in 2003 and I will never forget it

Craig

 

[bholler]

You will know when there's a chimney fire. Here's how mine went, the only one I've had in 23 years and it was enough

I had just loaded the stove and got distracted and went upstairs. Wife said what's that sound and I could hear the roar of a freight train in the chimney and the chimney tiles popping like a rifle going off. Ran downstairs closed off the damper and air then ran outside to look at the chimney. It looked like a blowtorch with flames coming out of it about four feet in the air. Got a ladder and a heavy stainless cooking pan and scurried up on the roof and slide the pan over the chimney this snuffed the fire out and burnt every hair on my body in some fashion but it saved my house

Swept the chimney and took out about four 5 gallon buckets of ash. Then installed a stainless liner and went on a very strict sweeping schedule and ensured I only burn dry wood. Been good ever since. This happened in 2003 and I will never forget it

Craig

That is an example of an extremely intense chimney fire. Most are not like that at all. Many people have no clue if they have a fire.

 

[Shmudda]

That is an example of an extremely intense chimney fire. Most are not like that at all. Many people have no clue if they have a fire.

Agreed. My grandfather had a couple too and the chimney didn't contain it and got into the rafters. It wasn't pretty!

You only need one to learn I know I did

Craig

 

[bholler]

Agreed. My grandfather had a couple too and the chimney didn't contain it and got into the rafters. It wasn't pretty!

You only need one to learn I know I did

Craig

Again many people don't know they had one but even minor ones can cause pyrolysis of wood structure or ignite wood that was already pyrolized. Which is why a safe proper install is so important.

 

[KJamesJR]

If you’re paranoid like me, install the attic insulation shield even though you don’t need it in a cathedral ceiling kit.