Construction & Contractors Blog
A wood-burning fireplace can give a home a comfortable and traditional feel. Unfortunately, these fireplaces can become a source of danger should a chimney fire break out. Fortunately, you don't have to sacrifice your ability to enjoy a glowing fire to protect your home against chimney fires if you have a wood-burning fireplace.
There are some simple things you can do to prevent chimney fires while still putting your fireplace to good use throughout the year.
1. Burn the Right Wood
The type of wood that you burn in your fireplace plays a role in determining your risk of starting a chimney fire. In general, you should use dry, seasoned hardwoods exclusively in your fireplace. Hardwoods, like maple or birch, tend to burn longer because they are denser. These woods produce less smoke, which helps to minimize any flammable residue that might accumulate on the interior surfaces of your chimney.
Reducing chimney buildup caused by smoke is a great way to prevent chimney fires and ensure that your fireplace can operate safely.
2. Keep Your Fire Hot
The temperature of your fire can play a role in predicting the likelihood of a chimney fire. Whenever fire burns, the combustion process produces a substance known as creosote. This creosote can condense on the interior lining of your chimney. As such, since creosote is flammable, a buildup of this material makes the probability of a chimney fire increase. Keeping your fire burning hot is a simple way to reduce creosote buildup.
A hot fire actually has the ability to burn off the creosote within the smoke before it condenses. The hotter your fire, the better your odds of preventing a chimney fire.
3. Clean Your Chimney
Even if you burn hardwoods and keep your fire hot at all times, there will be some flammable substances that collect inside your chimney. The only way to completely eliminate this flammable buildup is to hire a professional to clean your chimney.
The interior lining of your chimney will be inspected, and any flammable materials will be removed. Clean your chimney frequently if you use your fireplace regularly to help you reduce the risk of a chimney fire in the future.
A chimney fire can seriously compromise the safety of your home. You can take action to prevent chimney fires by investing in regular chimney cleanings, burning quality hardwoods, and keeping your fires as hot as possible. Contact a chimney cleaning company for more information.
Share17 May 2021
Construction contractors have a very important job. They literally build the structures we live in, work in, and entertain ourselves in. They have control over how these spaces look, and also over how safe these spaces are. Some contractors lay flooring. Others install flooring. Some are generalists and do a bit of everything, from roofing to painting. When you start to understand the nature of a contractor's job, you start to really appreciate all of the buildings around you. It's that appreciation that we really hope shines through as we write this blog to share with you all, our loyal readers.
