Fire in Your Chimney
It’s one thing to have a fire in your fireplace; quite another to have one in your chimney! When you have a fire in your fireplace on a regular basis, combustible particles like creosote and soot can accumulate in the chimney flue of your home over the course of time. Because the inside of your fireplace is warmer than the sides of your chimney, the nasty things that should be going up the chimney mixed in with the hot smoke from the fire cool off as they rise and can stick to the sides of the flue. This is because the sides of your chimney are cooler than the inside of your fireplace. If, at a later point, these chemicals become hot enough to catch fire, they have the potential to cause serious damage to the chimney flue, which was not intended to retain that kind of heat, and they also have the potential to enable heat and/or fire to escape into the home.
If you observe smoke that is heavier than usual, this might be an indication that there is a fire in the chimney. A regular fire in a fireplace produces a negligible quantity of smoke, which is readily expelled from the structure via the chimney and into the atmosphere outside. Having said that, when there is a fire in the chimney, it is not uncommon for there to be thick, and even occasionally black, smoke that does not rise as quickly.
The scent is one of the ways that individuals have reported being able to detect a fire in the chimney. When a fire is burning in the chimney, it will often reach temperatures that are very high. Brick, mortar, and clay tiles that have been heated will really have a distinct burning odor. If there is a fragrance that is consistent with anything being burned, then something probably is being burned. Again, if you encounter any of the indicators of a chimney fire, you need to get out of the home as soon as possible and call the fire department to come to your property as soon as they can. They are able to determine whether or not there is a fire in the chimney, and if there is one, they can put a stop to the blaze before it gets out of control. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to put it out yourself!
Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to put it out yourself!
Sadly, not all chimney fires are as exciting as the one you just saw. Because they burn so slowly, chimney fires frequently go unreported or undiscovered. This is because the flames do not receive anywhere near enough oxygen to be noticeable or spectacular. However, you may put your faith in the fact that these can still inflict significant harm.
How Can I Tell if There Has Been a Chimney Fire in the Past at My House?
It is more likely for a chimney to catch fire again once it has already been used as a fire escape once. In the event that this takes place, the creosote that is already there will become puffed up and expand, which will result in less exhaust coming out of the chimney while simultaneously rising the temperature inside of it. The chance of there being yet another fire is increased as a result of all of these factors.
There are a lot of clues that might indicate to the fact that a fire was once contained within a chimney. If you are aware of these telltale symptoms of a previous chimney fire, you will be better equipped to take the necessary precautions to prevent another fire, as well as blockages and other risks. If you observe any of these issues, you should immediately give Owens Chimney Systems a call to set up an appointment for a cleaning, inspection, and any required repair work:
-Broken tiles of clay in the chimney flue
-Your roof has sustained damage.
-Breakage of devices that are mounted on the roof, including antennas, satellite dishes, or roof vents
-Chimney cap that is warped, melted, or a different hue
-Broken bricks and crumbling mortar
-Creosote that is puffed out and expanded
-Creosote accumulation on the surface of the roof
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 Five Points and other affordable services.