Sparks coming out of your chimney demands immediate attention. The reason is that these sparks may soon turn into a fire that can pose serious risks. In most cases, sparks take place due to creosote buildup within a flue. It can be prevented if chimney is cleaned regularly by chimney sweep services. Let’s take a closer look into what you can do about chimney sparks and fires that can threaten you and your loved ones.
What are and What Causes Chimney Fires?
If you observe sparks taking place in your chimney, you can safely assume that a chimney fire is taking place. As mentioned earlier, it is mostly due to carbon deposit build-up that can be either ignited by a spark or ember traveling up into the flue.
Once the temperature reaches extremely hot, the deposits are ignited, burn and often sparks will begin coming out of the chimney. It is important to keep in mind that chimney sparks can quickly turn into fire. Plus, the sparks may also escape through the cracks in the flue and ignite the roof or the roof timbers.
As a result, the trees in the surrounding area may also catch fire, which can also threaten the neighbors. To make sure that a chimney fire is taking place, you can check the chimney pot for sparks or flames. Plus, a vibrating flue pipe or stove also indicates a sparkling chimney.
If you hear a loud roaring noise from the chimney or flue, it might also indicate that the deposit buildup is igniting. Although you should look out for these signs in case there is a fire inside your chimney or flue, but it is also possible that there are no possible signs at all. In this case, you will need to hire an expert to inspect the chimney, if something seems unusual and off.
The Risk Of A Chimney Fire
While there are some signs to look out for in case of a chimney fire, homeowners should also be aware of how they can increase the risk of a chimney fire taking place. For instance, burning unsuitable materials such as wet and unseasoned wood along with infrequent and ineffective chimney sweeping can significantly raise the chances.
You need to keep in mind that the important elements of combustion include heat, fuel, and oxygen. If either of these is in low amounts, the combustion process will not take place properly. As a result, more and more carbon deposits will end up in your chimney, then again, raising the chances of chimney sparks or fires.
Furthermore, some people tend to use their wood-burning stove overnight by smoldering wood and other fuels at low temperatures. This results in the most damage to your chimney. In this case, you should consult the handbook provided to see if the stove is designed to be run at lower temperatures. However, it is also possible that the manufacturer has not considered its effects on your chimney or flue.
Things You Can Do To Reduce The Risk Of Chimney Fire
To reduce the chances of a chimney fire, you need to consider several factors such as using oil, gas once a year. Moreover, you should get your chimney thoroughly cleaned at least once a year. In addition to that, you should make sure that you use appropriate dry wood and fuel.
The chances of creosote deposits ending up in your chimney or flue will reduce if the wood burns properly. However, if it doesn’t, you will eventually have to worry about chimney sparks or fires.
What Damage Do Chimney Fires Cause?
Chimney fires can do a lot of damage if they manage to spread to the rest of the property. At the same time, even if the fire is contained within the flue, it still can cause significant damage to the flue or liner. The majority of manufacturers recommend that a stainless-steel flue be used once a chimney fire has taken place.
If smoke can be smelled within the house, this means that the flue is breached and needs to be replaced. It is important for an expert to always check the flue after it has caught fire to be sure if it can be reused.
Final Word
In the case of a chimney fire, you should immediately call the fire brigade. Even if the fire has gone, there are still chances of it re-igniting. Therefore, consult chimney contractors Columbia MD and get your chimney checked thoroughly. Once the problem is solved, make sure that you use the right wood type and materials to prevent chimney sparks or fire from taking place.
