The Facts About Chimney Fires

5/14/2018 (Permalink)

The Facts About Chimney Fires

Your chimney–and the flue that lines it–adds architectural interest to your home, but its real function is to carry dangerous flue gases from your fireplace, wood stove or furnace safely out of your home.

As you relax in front of your fireplace or bask in the warmth of your wood stove, the last thing you are likely to be thinking about is the condition of your chimney. However, if you don’t give some thought to it before you light those winter fires, your enjoyment may be very short-lived.

Why?

Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires, which damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people.

Indications of a chimney fire have been described as creating:

• loud cracking and popping noise
• a lot of dense smoke, and
• an intense, hot smell

Chimney fires can burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or people passing by. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane. However, those are only the chimney fires you know about.

SERVPRO of Branford / Shoreline specializes in fire and water damage restoration. We have the specific damage restoration training, personnel, and equipment and can quickly restore your home to pre-fire condition.

Please refer to our Fire Damage Tips - Until Help Arrives Guide and follow these tips to protect yourself and your property.