Santa's On His Way With Lots of Toys and Goodies In His Sleigh So Let's Welcome Him (and the wood burning seasons) With A Clean Chimney!

House fires increase in the winter and many are caused by improper use of heating apparatuses in the home.  Having your chimney inspected and cleaned on a regular basis can reduce your risk of chimney fire.  In addition to having your chimney inspected regularly by a certified chimney sweep there are a number of things you can do on your own to prevent a chimney fire in your home.

Steve Riley, a Bend OCSA Certified Chimney and Stove Safety Technician, says with a little care chimney fires can be prevented.  This fire burning season, please consider the following:

Keep the Chimney Clean.  A quick visual inspection for soot and creosote deposits takes just a few minutes of your time.  Soot and creosote deposits are a natural byproduct of burning wood. These deposits, if left unattended, can ignite due to high temperatures, a spark, or high flames.  They can be a lot of potential fuel in a small package so keeping your chimney clean and free of buildup is a must.

Dry, Seasoned Wood Should Always Be Your First Choice.  Any wood can create creosote, but unseasoned wood is the worst.  Choose hardwoods that have been seasoned, or dried out over a period of time in the sun. Wood contains water, resins, and tannins when freshly cut, and can deposit large amounts of creosote in a chimney when green which can quickly lead to an obstruction. Also, burning evergreens such as pine and hemlock is a poor idea, as these woods have a much higher resin content and leave easily combustible deposits inside the lining of the chimney.   Keep your wood covered so it stays dry.  If your wood is green or wet, you won't feel the heat you want either!

Keep The "Stuffing" For The Turkey and Keep That Damper Open.  Stuffing your fireplace or woodstove with too much wood can have a damping effect on the fire.  When a fire is overstuffed this can lead to smoldering and inefficient burning.  Also, closing the damper before all of the coals and ashes are cooled may result in smoke or carbon monoxide backing into your home. 

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms.  The best defense against smoke and fire is an early warning system, so keep you family safe by having an escape plan, keeping fire extinguishers throughout your home, (especially the kitchen), and always have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in place.

Don't Forget the Value of Common Sense.  Always use a fireplace screen to ward against stray sparks.  If you have small children in your home, consider a child protection screen or gate around your fireplace/woodstove.   Don't leave matches out where children or pets can gain access to them.  Use a metal ash bucket with a tight fitting lid to store ashes and as an extra precaution thoroughly wet them down.  Also, make sure your chimney has a spark arrestor on top to avoid fires caused by stray sparks on your roof or your neighbor's roof.   

Once a year an inspection by a certified chimney sweep can help identify any problems or potential problems with your chimney.   Make your home a safer haven this holiday season by keeping your chimney clean and free of dangerous buildup - and Santa will thank you too! 

For additional information on fire safety and to find a chimney sweep in your area check out these websites: The National Chimney Sweep Guild and the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

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