Clean Sweeps of Michigan's Blog

The Truth About Chimney Fires

More than 30% of American homes use fireplaces, stoves, and other fuel-burning appliances during the winter. While well-maintained heating appliances are safe and effective, preventative maintenance is an important part of ensuring your fireplace and chimney are ready to use each time you light a fire.

What to do during a chimney fire

Chimney fires can be extremely frightening when they occur; knowing what to do in advance can help you be prepared in the event of a chimney fire.

1. Call 911 or the fire department immediately.
2. Evacuate everyone from the home.
3. Close the damper or air inlet controls. This limit’s the air supply to the fire and can help reduce the intensity. If the heating appliance has a barometric damper, close or plug the opening.
4. Open the doors of the heating appliance enough to insert a fire extinguisher. Discharge the entire contents of a dry chemical fire extinguisher and close the door again.
5. Wet down the roof or other nearby outdoor combustibles.
6. Monitor surfaces around the chimney; during a chimney fire combustible surfaces can become hot enough to ignite.
7. Contact your insurance provider.
8. Do not use the fireplace again until it has been inspected by a certified chimney professional.

Signs of a chimney fire

While large chimney fires can cause flames to shoot out of the top of the chimney or down into the firebox, smaller chimney fires can sometimes go unnoticed. Loud popping noises, sudden amounts of dense smoke, or a strong burnt smell are all indications of a chimney fire. The following signs may also indicate you have had a chimney fire.

• Puffy creosote in the flue
• The metal of the damper or smoke chamber connector pipe is warped
• Cracked or collapsed flue tiles
• Discolored, warped, or distorted chimney cap
• Damage from smoke, heat, or sparks to areas of the roof
• Soot, ash, embers, or pieces of creosote on the roof
• Discoloration or cracks of exterior masonry
• Evidence of smoke passing through mortar joints of the chimney

Whether you are sure you’ve had a chimney fire or only suspect a small fire may have occurred, it is important to contact a chimney sweep before using your fireplace again. A certified chimney sweep can assess the damage as well as recommend any needed repairs.

In the event of a minor chimney fire, repairs may be as minor as replacing damaged flue tiles or installing a new damper. For more serious fires, relining or even rebuilding may be recommended; rebuilding the chimney is only necessary in the event that the structural integrity of the chimney has been compromised.

If you have experienced a chimney fire, need to have your chimney inspected for signs of a fire, or simply want to learn more about preventing chimney fires, contact the experts at Clean Sweeps of Michigan today. Our chimney sweeps can help ensure your fireplace and chimney are clean, safe, and ready to use again after a chimney fire.

The Benefits of Energy Efficient Top Dampers

When it comes to evaluating how well a fireplace can heat your home, efficiency is often the name of the game. While adding fireplace doors, using a fan, or even installing a new fireplace insert can help improve efficiency. However, one of the best – and most overlooked – ways to help make your fireplace more energy efficient is by installing a top sealing damper!

Throat dampers vs top sealing dampers

Most fireplaces have a throat damper. This kind of damper is in the “throat” of the chimney; it is a metal plate that separates the firebox from the rest of the flue. Throat dampers are opened and closed using a chain or lever when the fireplace is in use. The rest of the flue is open to the outside even when a throat damper is closed. This is to keep animals, moisture, and debris out of your chimney flue.

Top sealing dampers serve the same purpose as a traditional throat damper, but they do it in a different way. Instead of sitting in the throat of the chimney, top sealing dampers are installed on the top of the chimney structure in place of the chimney cap. This seals the entire flue off from outside. It works to protect the inside of your chimney from moisture, animal entry, and debris.

Benefits of top sealing dampers

A top sealing damper might seem like an unnecessary upgrade for your fireplace system. However, it helps to improve fireplace performance – as well as increase the safety and efficiency of your fireplace. The following are three benefits of installing a new top sealing damper.

1. Increased energy efficiency – Traditional throat dampers leave the flue open to the outside world. In many homes, this affect the air temperature in rooms surrounding the chimney. Rooms near the chimney is colder in winter or hotter in summer as the flue is open to the outside. Installing a top sealing damper seals off the entire chimney and your home to the outside world. This helps to lower heating and cooling costs as HVAC systems run less.
2. Improve safety – Top sealing dampers reduce the risk of moisture, debris, and animals getting inside your chimney. This is especially helpful in areas with lots of trees or nesting animals. A top sealing damper prevents leaves and branches – or animals wanting to nest – from entering your chimney. Even small blockages of debris in the flue can increase the risk of accidental chimney fire, prevent proper venting, or cause backups of smoke and gas such as carbon monoxide in the home.
3. Start fires easier in the winter – When the air temperature outside differs significantly from the temperature in your home, it can be difficult to start a fire. If the air in the flue is too cold when starting a fire, smoke and gas can blow back into your home instead of venting up and out of the chimney. Top sealing dampers help regulate the air temperature in the flue by sealing it off from the outside; this helps make it easier to start fires in the winter!

Top sealing dampers decrease your energy bills and increase the safety and efficiency of your fireplace system! What a wonderful invention! For more information about installing a top sealing damper in your home, contact Clean Sweeps of Michigan today!