Bend FD: As fall arrives, time to clean the chimney
As we move into autumn, people start cranking up their wood heating devices. Burning green or wet wood will result in an excessive buildup of creosote in the chimney, the Bend Fire Department warns.
Creosote is a flammable part of smoke, so if you burn wood, you will create creosote, but wood that has not dried adequately will burn cooler, accelerating the buildup.
An excess of creosote in your chimney can ignite and start a flue fire, where the interior of the chimney is burning. Since the temperatures can approach 2,000 degrees, your chimney, either metal or masonry, is at risk of damage, which can easily cause a house fire. Excessive heat can cause inner metal flue linings to separate and masonry chimneys to crack.
If you see flames coming from the chimney, your flue is on fire. Call 9-1-1 and get everyone out of the house. Do not attempt to extinguish the fire, as you could increase damage to the chimney.
If you have had a flue fire, make sure to get your wood heating system inspected professionally, to ensure that the chimney is intact.
The best defense against a flue fire is to keep your chimney clean. September is a great time to clean the flue, and some chimney sweeps may be offering coupons or a discount, so take the time now to prevent a chimney fire by getting your wood heating system flue cleaned!
