When you have a fireplace, woodstove, or similar appliance in your home, it’s common to hear someone talk about chimney fires. But what are they, what causes them, how can you prevent them, and what should you do if you have one happen in your home or business? In this post, you’ll learn more about chimney fire causes and prevention in your Indianapolis home, and get peace of mind and knowledge of what to do in an emergency.

Chimney Fires: Causes, Prevention, and What to Do in an Emergency

A chimney fire, as the name suggests, is a fire that takes place in your chimney. This may not seem like much of a crisis; after all, your fireplace and chimney are meant to contain these things, right? Unfortunately, a chimney fire can lead to a structural fire if not tended to in a timely manner.

Chimney fires are most commonly caused by poorly-maintained chimneys that have debris and buildup of creosote and soot within it. Creosote is a tar-like substance that is released by fires as they burn, which then builds up on the cooler surfaces of the chimney’s interior. It is very flammable, and needs to be regularly removed to prevent it from catching fire from too thick a deposit on your chimney walls.

Fortunately, prevention of this danger is simple. Burn well-seasoned hardwood in your fireplace or wood stove, and have your chimney cleaned regularly. For most around Indianapolis, this requires a once or twice a year cleaning. Creosote is formed by all wood that is burned, but it’s formed in greater amounts in green wood and softwood fires, which tend to burn more coolly than fires fueled by seasoned hardwood. If you do burn this type of wood, you should have your chimney cleaned more often.

If you suspect a chimney fire, whether from seeing flames out of the top, reflections of light up your chimney, or similar signs, there are two angles of attack, and two solutions to use. Any fire requires fuel, oxygen, and heat. Don’t use water, as this can cause additional damage to your masonry, but instead put out the fire in the fireplace or wood stove using large amounts of baking soda, a standard fire extinguisher, or sand. Once extinguished, you can take out the chimney fire by aiming your fire extinguisher up the chimney, or by dropping a dry chemical extinguisher in from the top of the chimney.

A chimney fire is a frightening experience, but by understanding how to prevent them and what to do if one occurs, you can approach the issue with knowledge and preparation. If you need help checking if your chimney is at risk of a chimney fire, or want to learn more about potential chimney fire causes and prevention for your Indianapolis home, the friendly team of professional technicians at Clean Sweep 317 are ready to help. Please reach out today with any questions or concerns.