Things to Avoid Burning in Your Fireplace

For your fireplace’s proper maintenance and keeping, there are certain materials and things you should avoid burning. Here are just some that would be best for the interest of your chimney and fireplace and as well as yours.

Allergen-Producing Brushwood
You wouldn’t purposefully roll about in a patch of poison oak, but if you burn the woody vines from poison sumac, poison ivy, or any other plants that contain urushiol, a deadly irritant that produces rashes on contact, you might put your entire family in danger. When plants lose their leaves in the winter, it can be difficult to know whether the vines you are harvesting are innocuous or dangerous. Because of this, it is important to take care and avoid anything that you are unable to identify. What is the cause? Burning plants that contain urushiol can release fumes that can set off severe allergic responses in the respiratory system.

Evergreen Wood
Evergreen trees, including pine, spruce, and cedar (yes, even your old Christmas tree), contain resins that are easily combustible and generate a high-temperature flame when they are ignited. This may seem like a good idea at first, but these trees burn so quickly that the fire will go out very quickly. Additionally, the high resin content of these trees can leave substantial creosote deposits in your chimney, which over time can cause chimney fires.

Wood Pallets
It’s a good idea to try to find other uses for wood pallets; just don’t burn them in the process. However, many discarded shipping pallets have been treated with the chemical pesticide methyl bromide to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer, a beetle that wreaks havoc on living ash trees. This treatment is done to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer, which is a beetle that causes havoc on living ash trees. Never set fire to a pallet if it contains the stamp “MB,” since this indicates that it has been treated with chemicals and should not be burned. Even if there is no visible stamp, it is in your best interest to steer clear of burning any pallets at all costs.

Driftwood
If you’ve ever been to a beach party where driftwood was burnt, you’ve certainly gawked in awe at the stunning lilac-blue flames that were created. Unfortunately, the deadly gasses that are created by those beautiful flames are a result of the metal salts that the wood collected while it was floating. These flames were caused by the metal salts. It is for this very reason that many coastal municipalities have outlawed the practice of burning driftwood; thus, you should take their advice and not burn any wood that you have collected from the beach in your fireplace.

Throwing trash on an open fire, such as an empty plastic-foam cup or a dirty paper plate, is something that a lot of people do. Stop doing it immediately if it’s become a routine for you: The majority of common consumer goods are composed of chemicals that, when burnt, release toxic gases. What’s the worst of it? Plastic, which breaks down into a class of toxins known as dioxins, is included in a number of the waste products that are among the most hazardous. The inhalation of dioxins is associated with an increased risk of respiratory illnesses, headaches, harm to internal organs, and potentially cancer.

It can sound like a good idea to start a fire at home with a bed of dry leaves, but you shouldn’t do so. Leaves can be quite combustible. To begin, leaves catch fire extremely rapidly and at a high temperature. This abrupt and significant rise in temperature can cause cracks in chimney flues and brickwork, which is why it is better to use a chimney starter to light your fireplace rather than trying to do it manually. The reverse will occur when you burn wet leaves; they will burn slowly while smoldering and produce a great deal of smoke. This smoke causes creosote to build up, which increases the risk of fire in the chimney.

If you suspect that your chimney or fireplace is having some issues, have an expert inspect it. Call Local Chimney Sweep Cleaning today. We also offer Chimney Cleaning Chico and other affordable services.

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