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Facts About Fireplace Fires

fireplace fires

Read on to learn some important facts about fireplace fires.

In 2014 there were nearly 23,000 chimney fires caused by fireplaces. Open fires and wood burners are a great feature for any home, but making use of your chimney does increase your risk of house fires. The good news is that you can take measures to prevent them.

The Problem with Dirty Chimneys

When you burn wood in your fireplace, it causes a residue to accumulate on the walls of your chimney. This residue is called creosote.

Creosote is combustible. If enough builds up, and your chimney gets hot enough, it can catch fire. Flames from your fire or wood burner can also ignite the creosote. And once it’s burning, you have a fireplace fires.

Silent Fires

Because fireplace fires start inside chimneys, they quite often go undetected. The creosote on the walls of your chimney is the fuel, so once it burns up, the fire usually goes out on its own. You may not even realize anything happened. In some cases, however, fires burn noisily, making them impossible to miss.

Fireplace Fires Can Cause Serious Damage

Your chimney is designed to carry the smoke from your fire or wood burner out of your home. It’s not designed to withstand fires inside the chimney itself.

If you have a fireplace fires, it will cause damage to your chimney, causing it to crack or melt. If the damage is severe enough, then a chimney fire may be able to pass into your home, which can be incredibly dangerous.

They Can Be Prevented

The good news is that chimney fires are preventable.

The simple fact is that clean chimneys don’t catch fire. Without a supply of creosote to fuel the fire, there is nothing to keep a fireplace fires burning. By properly cleaning and maintaining your chimney, you can eliminate the risk of chimney fires.

We would always recommend hiring the services of a professional chimney sweep to keep your chimney clean. That way you can ensure that your chimney is in safe working order.

Are You Looking for a Reliable Chimney Sweep?

If you want to prevent chimney fires in your own home, then you need a reliable chimney sweep. That’s where we can help.

As well as chimney servicing and inspections, we also offer fireplace installation, chimney removal, and more. Our mission as chimney professionals is to educate and bring awareness to our customers regarding fireplace safety, integrity, and performance. Our number one priority is safety.

Contact us today and let us take care of your chimney.

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