Removing bird and animal nests, leaves, and other debris that may create a hazard by blocking the flow of emissions from a home heating appliance. Staying Safe with a Wood-Burning Fireplace or Woodstove There is no substitute for having your chimney cleaned and inspected by a licensed professional at least once a year.
Additionally, you should follow these safety tips so you can enjoy your fireplace without worry: Only burn seasoned, dry wood. Have working smoke alarms on each level of your home and outside all sleeping areas. Have a home emergency escape plan and practice it. If you have a chimney fire, evacuate your home and call Contact Doctor Flue! Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.
Chimneys that have wood burning stoves or fireplaces frequently have fireplace flue fires due to creosote build-up coating the flue tile liner. On occasion these fires in the chimney will find a way to catch the home on fire as well, but almost always these chimney fires damage or destroy chimneys and fireplace flues. This is why hearth lovers who enjoy wood burning are advised to have their chimneys cleaned every year in an effort to remove the creosote build-up and prevent a tragedy.
But what if you could burn a special log in your firebox and your creosote problems would magically go away? Creosote in the chimney is a hard, smooth or crusty coating on flue tiles. It is made up of organic compounds found naturally in firewood. These compounds could have burned in the fireplace while the firewood was burning, but because of the haphazard nature of burning firewood , creosote leaves the firebox without actually burning up.
Most of the creosote leaves the fireplace and chimney in the form of smoke, but enough of it coats the inside of the flue and over time build up to a dangerous amount. Instead of building up, creosote will fall. Creosote Logs do work to loosen the creosote and make it easier to clean your chimney.
However, these logs are no substitute for a thorough chimney sweep. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America , creosote logs are effective products when used in conjunction with a professional chimney sweep.
When left alone, creosote becomes slick and hard. Removing the glaze takes time and effort, and even then, some residue could remain. The creosote logs are made of chemicals that make the residue more dry and flaky. When a chimney sweep gets to work, they can remove more of the residue. Your home will be a safer place. So, creosote logs do work. If inhaled, the smoke could cause nausea and respiratory irritation.
However, you can safely use a log in your fireplace. To avoid any adverse effects from the log, follow the directions that come with your log. Only use the product as directed. Some creosote logs smell more than others. The smell of creosote itself is much more pungent. If you have a tar-like smell when you use your fireplace, you have a creosote build-up. For the best results, you should use one log for every 60 fires.
You might hit 60 fires in two months, or it could take longer. Make a record, and you can remind yourself to use one of your creosote logs when you hit Before you use your log, make sure your chimney and flue are free from debris. You can check for these signs yourself if you want to know if you had a chimney fire, but a trained chimney sweep will also look for these signs throughout your fireplace and flue.
If a chimney sweep noticed any of these types of damages they will tell you so that you can be sure that any damage has been repaired before you use the fireplace again. When you get an inspection from a highly skilled chimney sweep you will have peace of mind knowing that your fireplace is now safe and damage free, able to withstand the use of the fireplace.
The chimney sweep logs do help make that layer of creosote easier to clean up. Leaving any of the creosote residues in the flue could cause a fire later on. Always get an inspection and a full cleaning from an experienced chimney sweep to make sure that your fireplace is safe and ready to use. House fires are often caused by dirty fireplaces that homeowners thought were clean. Use a chimney sweeping log if you want to make the cleaning and inspection easier for the chimney sweep but always hire a well trained and experienced chimney sweep to clean and inspect your fireplace and flue before you start using your chimney.
When it comes to professional chimney sweeping and inspecting, Vertical Chimney Care is the most trusted company in Chicago and suburbs. One of the biggest safety concerns is fires caused by creosote. Contact us today! Do Chimney Sweep Logs Work.
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