Category Archives: Chimney

What do Trees have to do with Chimneys?

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Pine tree too close to chimneyHow many times do we, as chimney sweeps, advise a customer to contact someone that does tree removal services, a landscaper or a gardener? More often than you think!

The rule of thumb is to keep trees at least ten feet from the top and at least two feet below the top of the chimney. Certainly, no branches should ever overhang the chimney.

Here are eight very good reasons why

1) Branches overhanging a chimney will drop leaves and needles inside the flue, causing a fire hazard. In our experience, pine needles can be the worst.

2) Branches too close to the top of the chimney can catch the tree on fire.

Brown leaves on trees3) Trees too close to the house are a gateway for animals and insects to crawl on top of the roof and enter the home through the chimney. Something similar happened in our very own home so I speak from experience. One night we heard something on top of our roof. We went outside and saw a raccoon peering down at us from the edge of the roof. He had climbed up on the roof from the tree next to our house.  Only the chimney cap prevented the raccoon from entering the chimney.

4) Smoking problems when using your fireplace can be caused by a tall tree next to the top of the chimney causing downdraft issues.

5) The roots of a large tree can uproot the foundation of the chimney and can create a cracked slab in the concrete foundation of the house.

6) The smoke and gases from the fire going up the flue will affect foliage on the nearby tree, singeing the leaves and even killing a tree.

Ivy and trees on top of chimney7) Ivy and other vine-like vegetation growing on the chimney may look beautiful but will damage the masonry and will leave permanent unsightly marks on the chimney after removal. Also, ivy can eventually travel and grow inside the chimney, creating a fire hazard.

8) During heavy wind-driven storms or thunderstorms, overhanging tree branches can break off and damage the top of the chimney and the roof, causing expensive repairs.

Of course, a chimney cap will help in some of these cases but not all. It’s far better to keep trees away from chimneys.

A Chimney Cap is Essential, Even During The Summer

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Many people think that the sole reason for a chimney cap is to keep the embers from starting the roof on fire; however, there are so many other benefits to a chimney cap, even during the hot summer months.

A chimney cap will keep the critters out!

About a month ago, I received a panicked call from a woman who was looking out of her living room window and saw a raccoon scurrying along her neighbor’s roof and entering her neighbor’s chimney. After witnessing this, she immediately called us to install a chimney cap on her own chimney. It’s not uncommon for raccoons to enter chimneys, even in urban areas. She even took a photo of the raccoon and sent it to me! (See photo below.)

Get to know these creatures…

Without a chimney cap, a raccoon can enter a chimney
Photo credit: C. Black

Female raccoons will seek out open chimneys to climb down and create a nest to have their babies. In fact, 85% of the time when there’s a raccoon inside a chimney, it’s a female raccoon. The smoke shelf in the chimney (behind the damper) provides a safe, dark place away from predators. Male raccoons are a major predator to the babies because males consider the kits as more male competition.

Raccoons are more active during the spring, summer and autumn and tend to be nocturnal animals. Females usually give birth in April or May and will have up to eight kits at a time but typical litters of two to four are more common. Once the babies arrive, removing a raccoon becomes more difficult because you’re then removing not only the mother but her kits as well.

When the kits have reached five months of age, kits will venture out with their mother to learn how to climb and hunt. Kits become independent anywhere from 8-12 months of age.

The downside to raccoons

Raccoons carry dangerous infectious diseases such as Raccoon Roundworm, an intestinal roundworm found in their droppings that can infect other animals as well as humans. Raccoons can also be infected with rabies. They have sharp teeth and will typically not attack unless they feel threatened or cornered or if they feel their kits are at risk.

Removing raccoons from chimneys

Mama raccoons are fiercely protective of their kits so removal should be done by trained animal removal professionals! Here’s a comprehensive nationwide directory for professional wildlife trappers.  These animal removal experts can use special trapping systems that can be mounted to the top of the chimney flue.

Do not light the fireplace to smoke out the raccoon! Not only is this inhumane but the smoke and heat will kill the mother and kits, making it harder to remove the dead animals from the smoke shelf area. Also, to light the fire, you have to open the damper which may encourage the raccoon to come into the home instead of up the flue pipe.

Use a rope with knots tied about one foot apart and throw the rope down the chimney, tying the rope to the top of the chimney. This rope needs to be long enough to reach the bottom of the chimney into the smoke shelf behind the damper. The rope will help the raccoons and the kits to climb out of the chimney. Keep in mind that a mama raccoon can be heavy so make sure the rope is strong enough and tied off properly at the top.

Place repellent in a bowl inside the firebox.  Repellents can be Cayenne pepper, or a bowl of ammonia, or a commercial dog or cat repellent such as “Dog-Gone” or “Boundary” which can be found at most pet stores. If you have a tight damper, the smell may not penetrate into the smoke shelf area, in which case you may have to throw the repellent down from the top of the chimney.

In addition to the repellents, place a radio inside the firebox during the day. Also try scaring them out by using a broom to make loud noises inside the fireplace. These creatures don’t like loud noises. Putting a bright light or flashlight inside the firebox may also make the raccoons uncomfortable since raccoons are nocturnal animals.

After the raccoon leaves

Once a raccoon leaves the chimney, which will typically be at night, cover the top until a chimney cap can be installed. Be sure that all the kits are gone as well before covering the top. You don’t want to trap the babies inside.

In addition to raccoons, chimney caps will keep out birds, roof rats, squirrels and other critters. Unfortunately due to the wide mesh of the cap that is required by code, chimney caps will not keep bees from entering the chimney to build a hive.  Here’s more information about bees and bee removal.

Chimney caps are very important!

Chimney caps not only prevent animals from entering your home through the chimney, they prevent embers from landing on a roof or in your trees, causing a fire. The caps with a solid lid at the top will also prevent most of the rain from coming into the flue which can deteriorate the chimney from the inside out.

Contact a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to install a chimney cap today, before you get an unwelcome critter in your chimney!

 

 

 

Chimney windcap

Wind Caps Solve Fireplace Smoking Problems

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Feet in front of fireplaceEnjoying a warm fire on a cold evening is one of the simple pleasures in life, but not when that beautiful crackling fire is accompanied by the eye-burning scent of smoke.

There are a number of causes for fireplace smoking problems, many of which are easily remedied. If you live in an area prone to wind, such as the coastal or mountainous regions, or even off of a canyon or hillside, there is a very simple solution–a chimney wind cap.

The difference between a standard chimney cap and a wind cap

Standard chimney capA standard chimney cap prevents embers from landing on the roof, prevents animals and other critters from entering the home through the chimney and prevents rain from going into the chimney system. These standard chimney caps, however, will not necessarily prevent wind-induced down drafts.

The wind cap, on the other hand, has the same benefits as a standard chimney cap but due to its design, it has the added benefit of preventing wind from going down the flue, causing smoking problems in your home.

What is a wind cap?

WindcapA wind cap works on the same premise as a weather vane.

The specially-designed wind cap rotates on a turret, turning its back to the wind while allowing the smoke to exit the flue.

The wind currents flow over the wind cap, instead of going down the pipe. The air current going past the cap creates a venturi effect (partial vacuum) in the pipe, helping to prevent the down draft that creates the smoking problem. The hood of the  wind cap also prevents horizontal rain to enter the flue pipe.

Where to find wind caps

Unlike universal standard chimney caps, wind caps must be custom sized to fit to the flue pipe. This requires taking measurements of the inside diameter of the flue pipe, the outside diameter of the flue pipe as well as the shape of the chimney flue. The measurements can be tricky, especially for the odd-sized or the odd-shaped flue pipe.

These wind caps have to be special ordered to fit properly. It is recommended to hire a professional chimney sweep to measure, order and install a wind cap. To find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep, go to the Chimney Safety Institute of America’s website.

One precaution with a wind cap

Please be aware that wind caps cannot be installed on pre-fabricated fireplace systems due to the U.L. listing on the pre-fab fireplace. Wind caps can only be installed on masonry chimneys or wood stove pipes.

Smoking problems can be easily resolved. Don’t just accept a fireplace smoking problem. Nothing should take you away from enjoying your warm cozy fireplace on a cold night–one of the simple pleasures in life.

Chimney Sweep girl

DIY Chimney Sweep

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Chimney Sweep girlAbout once a year, I receive a phone call from a homeowner who wants to sweep his own chimney. The first thing I say is, “You will only do it once.” Here are 5 reasons why, if you try to sweep your own chimney, you will definitely call a professional chimney sweep the next time!

1) IMPROPER CHIMNEY SWEEP EQUIPMENT

The proper chimney sweep equipment is expensive. Some people mistakenly think that you can use a regular home vacuum cleaner to vacuum the fireplace ashes. Even a ‘shop vac’ vacuum cleaner will potentially create soot and dust to blow back into the room because standard vacuum cleaners don’t have the special filters that prevent the fine particulates of soot from getting through the filter. These fine particulates of sooty and oily dust can leave a dark residue on carpet, furniture and window coverings, creating permanent damage to your home. You will forever be cleaning the black sooty residue from every nook and crevice in your home. In addition, because home vacuums are not designed for soot, you will ruin your home vacuum cleaner.

Another situation is in the case of prefab fireplaces. These systems require a very specific type of brush. Using improper brushes or brushing with too much force will potentially disconnect or damage the pipe, requiring replacement of the flue pipe. Once the flue pipe is disconnected, you’ve compromised the joint and the entire flue system must be replaced.

2) CREATE EXPENSIVE DAMAGE

Not long ago, I received a call from a Do-It-Yourself homeowner who decided to clean out his free-standing stove. He took apart the pipe and realized that he had gotten in over his head because he didn’t know how to put the pipe back together. Because he took the pipe apart incorrectly, the pipe had to be replaced because he had compromised the joints in the pipe. In addition, when he took apart the pipe, soot went everywhere in his living room, creating extensive damage to the flooring, furniture and window coverings. The room even needed to be painted. Many times a professional chimney sweep doesn’t even have to disconnect the flue pipe because he has invested in the appropriate equipment and training to do the job properly and without any mess.

3) CREATE A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION

Do-It-Yourself homeowners don’t understand how chimneys are built. Simply pushing the creosote down the flue pipe, the creosote lands in the offset area of the chimney behind the damper called the smoke shelf. Untrained homeowners don’t understand that the smoke shelf must be vacuumed out with the appropriate type of vacuum. If the smoke shelf is full of creosote, the homeowner has now moved the creosote, which is highly flammable, closer to the heat source in the firebox. That homeowner has now created more of a fire hazard than what he was trying to prevent.

4) SAFETY OF THE HOMEOWNER

ladder against houseWhen a homeowner isn’t accustomed to being on a ladder or he doesn’t know how to safely get on and off a roof or how to walk on a roof without falling, the homeowner is endangering his life or potentially suffering a crippling injury.

Homeowners may not have safe ladders for their roof. Professional chimney sweeps will have ladders tall enough. According to OSHA, “ladders must extend at least three feet above the point of support” which is where the ladder rests against the roof eave.

In addition, professional chimney sweeps have special “feet” attached to the bottom of the ladder called ladder “levelers” to prevent slippage, to stabilize the ladder and to adjust to uneven ground.

5) INSPECTING THE SYSTEM

The most important part of sweeping the chimney is inspecting the system. Because a homeowner hasn’t had the proper training and education, the Do-It-Yourselfer will not know what to look for after the system is swept. Will that homeowner recognize a cracked flue lining? Or a disconnected flue pipe? Or if a termination cap is blocking the flue pipe or not venting properly? And what about the chimney system’s general condition? It’s important to know what to look for. These are all potentially dangerous situations that a homeowner will not recognize.

HOW TO FIND A QUALIFIED CHIMNEY SWEEP

Make sure you use a chimney sweep certified through the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). CSIA Certification is a nationwide standard and provides the most highly trained chimney professionals who must sign a strict code of ethics. Here are 5 things to consider when hiring a local chimney sweep. 

There are many maintenance projects a Do-It-Yourself homeowner can do on their own to save money, but when it comes to your safety and the safety of your family and your home, homeowners should leave certain maintenance projects to the experts. Know your limitations!

15 Facts about Bees in Chimneys

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Beekeeper on top of chimneyIt’s that time of year again when our phones are ringing off the hook with customers calling about bees in chimneys.  If it’s any consolation, you are not alone if you have this problem.   We’ve noticed an above-average number of bee calls over the past five years here in San Diego.

Here are 15 facts that will help you in dealing with bee problems in chimneys:

1. According to San Diego County officials and local bee companies, 70%-80% of beehives in the county are now Africanized.  For that reason, we leave bee extractions to the bee experts.

2. We recommend contacting a licensed bee company as soon as possible if you see any possible bee activity, whether around the chimney or anywhere around your house exterior or yard.  Africanized bees are very aggressive and can be dangerous.

Important Information About Bees

3.  Bees are important to our Eco-system.

4. Bees are the only insect that produces food for humans.

5. Our food supply is dependent on pollination from bees.  Honey bees are responsible for pollinating approximately 80% of all fruit, vegetable and seed crops in the United States.

A honey bee pollinating a flower6. Not only do bees pollinate plants, but they also produce honey and bee’s wax.

7.  If at all possible, do not use a company that kills the bees. Instead, find a company that will relocate the beehive instead of killing the hive.  The San Diego Beekeeping Society has a list of local companies that do live bee removal.

8.  Bees tend to swarm from March through October but more in the spring and autumn.  They tend to swarm in the heat of the day.

9.  If you observe the bees within the first few hours, you can light your fireplace to discourage them from creating a hive.  If you wait more than a few hours, DO NOT light your fireplace because the bees will have had time to start building a hive in the chimney flue.  Lighting the fireplace with a hive present in the chimney will liquefy the wax and honey and will make it virtually impossible to clean the mess and will attract future bees.  Also, the wax and honey are combustible materials and can start a chimney fire. In addition, lighting a fire with a hive present in the chimney can cause smoke to back up into your home, resulting in smoke damage inside the house and health issues for the people and animals in the home.

Removing Bees from Chimneys

10.  If you notice bees coming into your home, respond immediately.  Ignoring the bees only gets more expensive and creates more damage.  Honey can seep through the masonry and walls and can cause mold, rotting, bad odors and will attract other insects such as ants,  wax worms and bee moths.

11.  If the hive cannot be relocated, hire a reputable bee company that will also remove the hive, not just kill the hive.  Leaving a hive in a chimney will only invite more bees.

12.  If the hive is located in the chimney, insist that the hive be removed going up, not going down.  If the hive is pushed down, it will land in the area of the chimney system called the smoke shelf.  Once it lands in this area, it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to remove all of the hive, wax, honey, and dead bees.  In addition, if the hive is pushed down, it may land on top of the damper which makes it impossible to open the damper.

Preventing Bees From Returning

13.  Once you’ve had a bee problem, you will be more prone to bees returning.  Even if a hive is removed and the chimney has been swept, the previous bees will have left behind pheromones which will attract future bees.  Unfortunately, even if the chimney is swept, the pheromones cannot be removed and there is no way to sterilize a chimney flue lining.

14.  Many bee companies will recommend putting a screen over the top of the chimney flue.  Because bees can get into any area as small as 1/4 inch, we have seen pest control companies putting window screen over the top of the chimney which is against building code.   In California, building code requires the spark arrestor part of the chimney cap to be 5/8 inch.  Unfortunately, this larger mesh will allow bees to enter the chimney.  Putting window screen over the top of the chimney will create a smoking problem, causing smoke damage in the house and potential health issues.

Chimney cap15.  Consider installing a top sealing damper.  Original dampers are located at the bottom of the pipe, closing the flue pipe from the bottom.  In this case, even if the damper is closed, bees can still enter the chimney above the damper and build a hive inside the chimney.  Instead, a top-sealing damper is located at the top of the pipe and seals the chimney at the top, and helps tremendously in keeping bees from entering the chimney.

The top-sealing damper is a flat metal plate located inside the chimney cap.  The plate is spring-loaded and has a cable that comes down into the firebox and is attached to a bracket on one of the sidewalls.  When the cable is pulled down, the plate seals against a thick rope gasket.

IMPORTANT: Top sealing dampers cannot be installed on systems that have artificial gas logs or a log lighter.  Also, these special dampers are only designed for masonry chimneys and not for prefab fireplace systems or free-standing stoves or stove inserts.

We have found that top-sealing dampers have been very successful in preventing bees from entering the chimney.  However, with the aggressiveness of the Africanized bees, these bees have been known to eat through the gasket of the top sealing damper, or still be able to get past the damper plate if there are any small openings.

bees coming in through masonry chimneyKeep in mind, the top sealing damper solution will only work if the bees are entering through the top of the chimney into the chimney flue.  If the bees enter through an opening in the brick or mortar or any other opening, a top-sealing damper will not work.  In that case, a hole will have to be created in the chimney structure or chimney chase to remove the hive and then sealed back up to prevent further bee intrusion.

We have to stress that with Africanized bees, a top-sealing damper is not 100% bee-proof.  It’s intended as a compromise between keeping the bees out as best as possible and still being able to use the fireplace while still keeping the chimney in compliance with building code.

Bee problems are not to be ignored.  If you’re having a bee problem in your chimney, contact a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep for further information.

 

3 Issues with Rampart General Pre-Cast Chimneys

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Photo credit D. Feb
Photo credit D. Feb

Imagine this scenario: You have spent a great deal of time looking for that perfect home. You did your due diligence. You had the proper home inspections and then made the single most expensive investment of your life. After moving in, you decide to get the chimney inspected and swept. The chimney sweep comes in and, within just a few minutes, has discovered that your chimney is a Rampart General Pre-Cast system.  And, because of a major defect, the system can never be used.  Because most home inspectors don’t have specific training in this system, they oftentimes don’t recognize the potential issues inherent with this type of chimney.

Unfortunately, this scenario happens all too often.

What is a Rampart General Pre-Cast Chimney?

Rampart General is the name of the manufacturer of the chimney system. Hence the nickname for these systems is “Ramparts.”

Pre-Cast describes how the chimney was made. The system was manufactured in Santa Ana, California from a cast or a mold, with a Rampart General chimney on side of housecombination of calcium aluminate cement and lightweight aggregate. The cast was cured and then transported to various parts of California.

At the construction site for the home, a concrete pad was poured. The transport truck simply tilted the chimney into place by using a heavy chain and t-bar down the inside of the chimney. Some chimney professionals refer to these systems as “tilt-ups” for that reason. In some cases, the truck dropped the chimney while placing it on the pad, resulting in damage to the system.

The mold or cast for the chimney structure was designed to make the chimney appear that it was constructed with bricks and mortar. To the untrained eye, the system appears to be a normal masonry system. We have found that some home inspectors who are not familiar with this system will call the system out as a masonry system but in fact, it’s anything but.

How to Identify a Rampart General Pre-Cast System

These systems are located in developments throughout California. Ramparts can be found in homes constructed anywhere from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s.

The chimneys (with few exceptions) will look like an off-white color brick. Some homeowners may think it’s a painted brick but in fact it’s the color of the calcium aluminate cement. If it’s a different color than the off-white, someone has painted the chimney.

The chimneys (with few exceptions) will be located on an exterior wall of the home. That’s because the chimney was tilted up into place.

In many cases, the exterior chimney appears to have a very narrow chimney above the shoulders of the chimney, much narrower than a masonry chimney.

These systems can be found primarily in Southern California as well as throughout California and may be found in other states as well. In San Diego County, we have found patches of them in Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, Paradise Hills, Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, El Cajon, Fletcher Hills, San Carlos, Del Cerro, Santee, Tierrasanta, Scripps Ranch, Mira Mesa, Rancho Penasquitos, San Marcos, Escondido, Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Leucadia.

Here’s a local news report about these damaged systems.

Problems with Rampart General Pre-Cast Systems

There are three major irreparable problems with these systems:

Insulation Plate

The primary problem is the potential for having cracks in the insulation plate, also referred to as the breast plate, which is located directly above the opening inside the firebox.

Cracked insulation plate in a Rampart General Pre-Cast Chimney
Looking up from the fireplace, here’s a crack in the breast plate

If the insulation plate is cracked, there is no approved repair and the system SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT be used due to the high risk of a fire between the chimney structure and the home. Stove inserts (gas, wood, or pellet) or gas logs should not be installed, and there is no approved repair.

In the almost two decades following our training in Rampart General Pre-Cast systems, we have found that approximately 60% of the systems that we have inspected here in San Diego had a cracked insulation plate.

Even hairline cracks in the insulation plate are dangerous because they will widen or expand with heat, and then allow this heat to transfer through the cracks to combustible materials used in construction around the fireplace.

According to Dale Feb of Fireplace Investigation, Research & Education Service, the leading expert in the country for this system, “Based on the manufacturers’ specifications, the ICBO evaluation report and the acceptance by the local building official of these two documents, we are not allowed to deviate from the construction, installation or repair requirements stated within these written details.”

In other words, repairs such as patching, relining, or stove inserts are not viable solutions to repair Rampart General Pre-Cast systems. These chimneys were UL-Listed and approved in their original design and no modifications are permitted.  Relining or installing a stove insert would be considered a modification and therefore would not be approved under the UL listing.

Most manufactuers of stove inserts specifically state that they cannot be installed into a fireplace or chimney system that is damaged. This is yet another reason why stove inserts cannot be installed into a Rampart.

No repairs have been approved by the manufacturer or by the Superior and Municipal Courts of California who have made rulings in cases involving Rampart General Pre-Cast systems.

Unfortunately, Rampart General, the company that constructed these chimney systems is now out of business so there is no recourse against the manufacturer.

Cracks in Chimney Structure

Extensive cracks in a Rampart General Pre-Cast chimney systemThe second issue that we find is the exterior chimney structure will often be cracked as well. These cracks appear as long, deep, wide vertical cracks in the exterior chimney structure. They appear along where the reinforcement (rebar) steel is located within the structure. These cracks are not subject to patching and eventually, the chimney will lose its structural integrity.

We are now finding that the cracks are becoming so long, deep and wide, that the chimney is literally falling apart.  In this case, we recommend tearing down the entire chimney in order to avoid damage or injury due to falling concrete.

Damaged Flue Lining

The third issue that we are finding with some Rampart General Pre-Cast systems

Collapsed flue tile in Rampart General Pre-Cast system
The flue tile collapsed during the manufacturing process

here in San Diego is that the flue lining can be damaged or cracked. The flue lining is the passageway inside the chimney structure.

Since the chimney was constructed horizontally in a cast or mold, sometimes the cast failed to contain the concrete during the construction process, and “blew out” the flue tile.  This creates a concrete blob inside the flue lining which makes the fireplace system completely unusable.

Because the system cannot be relined nor a stove insert installed, the chimney can no longer be used.

Repairing a Rampart General Pre-Cast System

According to Rampart General, the manufacturer, systems with cracked insulation plates are not subject to patching.

There are some chimney companies that are using Thermocrete, a ceramic coating, to cover over the cracked insulation plate.  I contacted Approved Industries, the manufacturer of Thermocrete, to find out if their product can be used for this purpose.  Approved Industries stated emphatically that Thermocrete CANNOT be used for damaged insulation plates in Rampart General Pre-Cast systems.  Thermocrete is not U.L. approved for this repair as well as the Rampart General system has no U.L. listing for Thermocrete as a repair.  As stated above, no repairs have been approved by Rampart General, nor by the Superior and Municipal Courts of California who have made rulings in cases involving these chimney systems.

Do not allow anyone to talk you into any repairs of these conditions or resolve the problem by installing a stove insert into the chimney. This could result in a potentially dangerous fire and, since the chimney system was modified against the U.L. listing, there is a possibility that your insurance company would not honor a claim for any resulting fire to your home.

In conclusion….

Whenever you purchase a home, always have a separate Level 2 Chimney Inspection.  To find a qualified chimney sweep, go through the Chimney Safety Institute of America. If you are buying a home with a Rampart General Pre-cast system, the question to ask your home inspector or chimney professional is if they have been specifically trained in these chimney systems by Dale Feb, the leading expert in the country on Ramparts. Not all home inspectors and not all chimney professionals have this specific training and therefore will not know about these systems.

For further information, please refer to Dale Feb of Fireplace Investigation, Research & Education (F.I.R.E) Services. Here is a link to his extremely well written and in-depth publication about Rampart General precast systems.

 

50 Tips For Enjoying Your Fireplace

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There’s nothing better than a warm fireplace on a cold evening. If you haven’t got one yet you are most definitely missing out!  Here are 50 quick and simple tips that will help you safely enjoy that cozy fire even more.

IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS

1. For an open fireplace, the glass doors must be in a fully open position. Once the fire has died out, close the glass doors before you go to bed at night.

2. Always make sure that the fire screen in front of the fireplace is closed when the fireplace is in use. Even when the fireplace is not in use, keep the fire screen closed to discourage pets from going into the firebox. (Cats have been known to use the fireplace as a litter box.)

3. Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended, especially when children and pets are present.

Carbon monoxide detector4. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, especially close to the fireplace as well as near bedrooms and in the kitchen. Make sure to test them at least twice a year.

5. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, homes should have a minimum of two 5 lb ABC fire extinguishers. There should be one fire extinguisher per floor of a house and the fire extinguishers should be visible and accessible. A fire extinguisher should be close at hand when the fireplace is in use.

6. Never use kerosene, lighter fluid or gasoline to start your fire.

7. Keep combustible materials (like knickknacks, newspapers, firewood and Christmas trees) away from the firebox opening. This includes items hung from the mantel, like Christmas stockings and garland.

8. Inspect your landscaping near the chimney. Trees and vines should be kept a minimum of 10 feet away from the top of the chimney.

FIREWOOD AND ARTIFICIAL FIRE LOGS (SUCH AS DURAFLAME)

9. Be sure your firewood is aged and kept dry from the rain or snow.

Pile of firewood10. Hardwoods should be aged a minimum of one year while softwoods should be aged a minimum of six months. The moisture in firewood should be between 15%-20%. Aged and dried wood will provide you with more efficient fires, fewer smoking problems, and less flammable creosote build-up in the chimney.

11. Do not burn construction scraps or wood that have been chemically treated, such as plywood, paneling or particleboard. In addition, don’t burn paper with colored ink, cardboard, Christmas wrapping paper, plastics, fabrics made from synthetic materials, or junk mail. The chemicals can be toxic when burned.

12. To easily start a fire, use fat wood or fire starters if you don’t have a log lighter.

13. Buy your wood in the spring or summer to allow it to dry out before the burning season.

14. A cord of wood is 4 feet x 4 feet x 8 feet. A rick of wood is one third the volume of a cord of wood. A truck-load of wood would be dependent on the size of the truck bed and is not an easy way to determine how much wood you’re actually buying. A truck-load could mean anything from a short-bed pick-up truck holding 1/5 cord to a pulpwood truck that can hold four cords.

15. A cord of wood is a legal unit of measure. If you buy a cord of wood, have the wood cut to burning length, split and stacked and not just dumped in your driveway. Although you may pay more, you will know for certain that you weren’t cheated and that the wood will be aged in time for the burning season.

16. Stack wood on top of a pallet instead of directly on the ground to avoid pests and mold in your firewood.

Duraflame log and firestarter17. If you’re burning artificial fire logs (like Duraflame), do not place wood on top or below the artificial fire log.

18. Never poke or break open an artificial fire log while it’s burning.

19. Only burn one artificial fire log at a time.

20. Do not cook food over artificial fire logs because of the chemicals in this product.

21. Never burn artificial fire logs in free-standing stoves or stove inserts.

SMOKING PROBLEMS

22. During cold weather, always prime your flue before lighting your fire to prevent smoking problems, especially if you commonly have a smoking problem at the beginning of a fire.

23. Airtight homes are more prone to smoking problems. This is especially true in newer homes or homes that have been retrofitted with new windows. If this is the case, crack open a window close to the fireplace.

24. Avoid having the heater/furnace or air conditioning on at the same time as the fireplace especially if the air intake register for the furnace is close to or in the same room as the fireplace. During a fire, you may lose the draw on the fireplace because the furnace can pull smoke and gases down the chimney and back into the living area.

25. Always use a fire grate in the fireplace. This allows airflow under the fire to help in the combustion process and will give you a better fire.

26. Place your firewood on the fire grate close to the back wall to prevent smoking problems.

DAMPER

27. Always check to make sure your damper is fully open before you light the fire.

28. Do you always forget which way your damper is open? Put a note on the underside of your mantel that says which way the damper is open. If you don’t remember which way the damper opens, you’ll remember where to look to find out!

29. Close your damper when you’re not using your fireplace so you won’t lose heat during the winter and air conditioning during the summer. An open damper is like having an open window.

30. If your existing damper is broken or non-existent, and if you burn wood, consider installing a top sealing damper to prevent heat loss from the home.

31. If you have gas logs in an open fireplace, the damper must be locked in a fully open position.

CLEANING OUT THE FIREPLACE

32. You don’t have to clean out the fireplace after every use. In fact, a healthy bed of ashes below the grate can actually be beneficial. Once the ashes reach the bottom of the grate, the ashes should be spread out or removed since it’s important to have good airflow from under the grate.

33. Wait at least 72 hours after your last fire before cleaning out the ashes in your firebox.

34. When you’re cleaning out the ash and debris from the fireplace, spread slightly damp, used coffee grounds over the ashes before you clean it out. It’ll prevent the ash from becoming airborne and make it easier to clean out.

35. Wear a mask while cleaning out the firebox to avoid breathing fly-away soot and ash.

36. Don’t use your home vacuum cleaner to vacuum the ashes from your fireplace. You stand the chance of ruining your vacuum cleaner. Also, household vacuum cleaners and shop vacs don’t have good enough filters so you run the risk of “dusting” your living room.  Instead, use a small whisk broom and dustpan to remove the ashes from the fireplace.

37. Place ashes in a metal can with a lid. Make sure the can is not placed on a wood deck or patio afterward.

38. If you have artificial gas logs, it’s common to have a light sooting on the logs where the flames lick up over the logs. This is not a safety issue and is totally natural. Simply use a soft bristle brush (like a paintbrush) to dust off the soot. Never wash or scrub the artificial gas logs or you will remove the paint from the logs.

39. Don’t throw away used ashes. They have many beneficial uses, such as: providing necessary nutrients to gardens, composting, insect deterrents (snails and slugs), de-skunking a pet, shining your silver, controlling pond algae, melting ice, and even making soap.

CHIMNEY CAPS

black chimney cap40. A chimney cap serves three main purposes: 1) will prevent embers from landing on your roof, your neighbor’s roof, your solar panels, your car and your landscaping ; 2) will prevent birds and other critters from entering your home through the chimney; and 3) can prevent water intrusion into your chimney which will deteriorate your chimney prematurely and will also extend the life of your damper.

41. If your home is located off of a canyon or hillside, your chimney may be more prone to smoking problems. A specially-designed windcap can minimize smoking problems in this case.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW

42. Pre-fab fireplaces, typically in condos and homes built after the 1980s, are intended more for ambiance and romance than for heat. In this type of fireplace, you should not have a fire any larger than what you would get if you are burning one artificial fire log, like Duraflame. Having large or overly hot fires in pre-fab fireplaces may cause damage to the fragile refractory panels inside the firebox and those panels are expensive to replace.

43. Consider a heat shield or fireback to protect the backwall of your fireplace. It will extend the life of the firebox.

44. Odor problems, or as I like to say “stinky chimneys,” can be caused by smoking problems, animals in the chimney, a dirty chimney, the type of fuel you’re burning (especially wood that is wet or not aged), the pressurization in your home, or rainwater in your chimney.

45. Reconsider mounting a TV above your fireplace. Heat and dust particulates aren’t good for electronics and doing this may void the TV manufacturer’s warranty.

46. If you’re buying a new home, have your chimney inspected by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep during the inspection period. If you have just bought a home, have the chimney inspected before using it for the first time. You never know what or how much the previous owner burned.

47. If you have a masonry chimney and you live in a region with a lot of rain or snow, consider weather sealing the masonry to prevent spalling and deterioration of the bricks and to avoid expensive masonry repairs later on.

48. Only use a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to inspect or sweep your chimney. To find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep, go to the website for the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

49. According to the National Fire Protection Association, chimneys should be inspected on an annual basis and swept if necessary.

50. To save money, do this important maintenance in the spring and summer when the rates are the lowest and when the schedule is less impacted.

Fireplaces are the best part of winter. Following these simple hints will give you the most enjoyment from a cozy fire.

8 Reasons NOT to mount your TV above the fireplace

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TV above the fireplace
Photo credit R. Pocock

Installing a TV above the fireplace is a very common decorating style in homes these days, but does that make it right? Here are some valid reasons to reconsider the location of your TV.

1) Electronics are sensitive to heat. The heat and smoke will reduce the lifespan of your TV. When you use your fireplace, heat rises. This is how your TV above the fireplace will come into direct exposure to the heat from the fire. This is especially true in cases where you have a heat exchange system or a stove insert inside the firebox which generate far more heat than a regular open wood-burning fireplace. In addition, the wall behind the TV may have some radiant heat from the heat going up the flue pipe inside the chimney, so your TV could be exposed to heat from the front as well as from the back. Televisions already generate a lot of heat on their own without additional exposure to the heat from the fireplace. Some manufacturers of televisions and other electronics recommend a maximum heat as low as 90°F.

2) Besides heat, dust particles create problems in electronics. Soot particles or particulates in the smoke from your open wood-burning fireplace can damage your TV. When you’re having a smoking problem from your fireplace, particulates will enter the TV above the fireplace. If your fireplace has a smoking problem, here are some solutions to solve that problem and reduce the amount of particulates into the home.

3) Due to the two reasons listed above, some television installation professionals state that installing a TV above the fireplace may void out the warranty on your TV. Make sure to contact the manufacturer and the retailer to verify that your warranty will be valid if you insist on installing your TV this way.

4) Television manufacturers recommend that televisions should be at eye level. The resolution of the TV is designed to be viewed from a specific angle. If you’re viewing the TV from too far right or left, or if the TV is located too far above the ideal viewing position, the TV screen may appear washed out and may lose some brightness. Adjustable mounts may alleviate some of those issues but not all.

5) Neck strain is a prominent problem with televisions mounted above the fireplace mantle. Imagine watching a movie in the theater from the front row. Sore neck and back muscles, stiff necks, and headaches can be caused by sitting in an unnatural position for any period of time.

6) Any kid or teenager will be the first ones to say that playing their X-boxes and Play Stations aren’t as easy to play when the TV is located above the fireplace.

7) During the mounting process, if the TV isn’t installed properly, you can ruin the fireplace and chimney system. Over the past few years, I’ve received a number of phone calls from panicked homeowners who drilled through the wall above the mantle straight into the chimney pipe. If you miss the stud, the drill can go clear through the drywall and into the metal chimney pipe on a prefab fireplace system. Homeowners and professional television installers don’t know just how close the chimney pipe for the prefab fireplace may be to the wall. If a hole has been drilled into the metal pipe, the flue pipe is compromised and the system can no longer contain the elements of combustion. In that case, the pipe must be replaced and, in some cases, the entire prefab fireplace system as well. In addition, it’s never a good idea to install the cables and electric cords behind the wall inside the chimney chase.

8) Most interior decorators will agree that a TV above the fireplace is not aesthetically pleasing because it takes away from the true focal point of the room–your beautiful fireplace. Also, we know as chimney sweeps, how much homeowners love to decorate their mantles which is harder to do with a TV blocking a majority of the mantle.

Here’s an article from c|net, a very reputable technology magazine that confirms the reasons why you should not install a television above a fireplace.

Televisions are expensive, and none of us want to see them damaged and quit before their time.   My advice is to consider other locations to put your television instead of above that fireplace!

Blog post updated 10-03-21.

An Easy Solution for a Fireplace Smoking Problem

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If the furnace is on at the same time as a fireplace, you may experience a smoking problem, especially if the air intake grill is close to the fireplace.

Common Scenario: On a cold, winter night, you decide to have a warm, cozy fire in your open fireplace to take the chill out of the living room. Your house is still cold and your furnace turns on automatically. A short time later, you notice the air in the room is getting smoky. All of a sudden, that nice cozy fire isn’t so nice and you know you’re going to be smelling smoke for days.

A fireplace smoking problem is a common occurrence. Ethical chimney sweeps will always suggest the simplest and most cost-effective solution to a smoking problem. One of the most common and very easy-to-fix causes is “dueling furnaces and fireplaces,” competing for the same finite amount of air in a house. This is especially true in a relatively new home or a home with new windows where the home is “tight” and energy efficient.

Tight houses don’t make for good fires in open fireplaces.

Competition for Air

Tight weatherstripping on doors, double-pane windows, sealed vapor barriers and upgraded insulation in walls and attics make for a well-sealed house, creating a house with a finite amount of oxygen.

Cold air register grill for furnace. If the furnace is on at the same time as a fireplace, you may have a fireplace smoking problem.
Photo credit: Rick Pocock

A fire in an open fireplace requires a great deal of oxygen. It draws a huge amount of air from the living area and draws it up the chimney. This is a natural draft system. Whereas, the air intake grill for a furnace pulls massive amounts of air from the home into the furnace. This is a mechanical draft system.

If an open fireplace (with a natural draft) is close to the air intake grill for a furnace (which uses a much stronger mechanical draft), the furnace will always win because the draw for the furnace is stronger than the draw for the fireplace. Mechanical is stronger than natural.

This means that you’ll lose the draft (upwards motion of the air in the fireplace flue), resulting in drawing the smoke into the room.

The closer the open fireplace is to the furnace air intake grill as well as the tighter the house, the more likely you can experience a smoking problem when the furnace and fireplace are on at the same time.

This is especially important to know when you have artificial gas logs in your fireplace because those gases going up the flue are colorless and odorless. If the furnace is on at the same time, you won’t know if those gases from the fireplace are being pulled into the room instead of going up the chimney flue.

Other systems in your home can also have this same reversing effect on the fireplace, such as: Whole house fans, kitchen stove hoods, bathroom fans, clothes dryers and central vacuums. These systems draw air from the house and exhaust to the outside.

Slightly opening a window close to the fireplace may help in this case.  This will provide the necessary make-up air that a fire needs to provide for a good draw.

For other potential causes of smoking problems, check out our blog post on the Top 10 smoking problems and their respective solutions. To find an ethical and reputable C.S.I.A Certified Chimney Sweep, go to the Chimney Institute of America website.

Rule of Thumb

Avoid having the forced air heater or furnace turned on at the same time as an open fireplace and get back to enjoying that cozy fire!

Six Causes of Fireplace Odors

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Fireplace odor like a campfireThere’s nothing better than a warm, cozy fire in the fireplace but there’s nothing worse than the “campfire-in-the-living-room” smell that can sometimes occur afterwards. Understanding some of the causes for a stinky fireplace will help prevent the problem. There are several key causes for fireplace odor issues.

 

1) Smoking Problems

Sometimes a smoking problem is so subtle that you may not even realize it at the time of the fire but then you notice a bad odor the next day. That’s because smoke rises to the highest part of the house at the time of the fire but by the next day, that smoky odor drifts down into your breathing range. This smell can be absorbed into carpeting, furniture and window coverings so it’s important to avoid the smoking problem in the first place. To prevent smoking problems, check out our blog post on the Top 10 Smoking Problems and their Respective Solutions.

In addition, if you’re using your fireplace at night, the damper has to stay open all night. Hours later, halfway through the night when the fire is down to just burning embers, the chimney loses its draw, especially if the furnace turns on, pulling air down the chimney, resulting in the smoke and resulting odors coming into the room. To prevent this night-time issue, make sure your fireplace has tight-fitting glass doors.

2) Animals

Animals love your chimney because it is a dark place, safe from predators, but once animals enter chimneys, it’s extremely difficult for them to fly or crawl back out on their own. This might mean your chimney will smell of aChimney capnimal feces or worse, a dead animal. In fact, due to federal animal protection laws, there are heavy fines of up to $15,000 for removing live migratory birds without special animal-removal permits. To remove an unwelcome animal from your chimney, contact an animal removal organization with the proper permit, but the better way would be to avoid birds and other critters from using your fireplace as their new home in the first place by installing a chimney cap.

3) Dirty Chimney

A dirty chimney can cause a bad fireplace odor because of the smoking problem but also even when the fireplace is not in use. Downdrafts push air down the chimney, bringing with it the smelly particulates from the dirty chimney and sending a campfire smell into the room. Having a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to sweep the chimney will help, but keep in mind that creosote can absorb into the porous material of a flue lining so even if a chimney lining is meticulously swept, there may still be a fireplace odor. Keeping the damper closed and installing tight-fitting glass doors will help.

4) Type of Fuel

Burning wood that has not been aged long enough or has been left out in the rain will create a smokier fire which can cause a rank odor. Some people can also be very sensitive to the petroleum odor of certain brands of prefabricated logs. In this case, change your fuel type and make sure that wood is aged and kept dry.

5) Pressurization in the home

To make our homes more energy efficient, builders are making houses “tighter.” Tight homes don’t make for properly-operating fireplaces. Fire needs oxygen, a great deal of oxygen, and it pulls it from the room. If a fire can’t get that oxygen because your fireplace is competing with other systems in the home such as furnaces, clothes dryers, bathroom exhaust fans or kitchen hoods, pressurization problems will occur in the home and can create a smoking problem or fireplace odors. Even if the fireplace isn’t in use, these other systems will draw air down the chimney, pulling down the particulates from a dirty chimney or odors from the ashes in the fireplace. Wind-driven downdrafts will also create this effect. Even during the summer, when fireplaces aren’t being used, rainy weather or high humidity can bring fireplace odors into the house. We recommend closing the damper, keeping the firebox clean, installing tight-fitting glass doors on the front of the fireplace or creating another method to bring make-up air into the home.

6) Rain/Water intrusion

Fireplace odors occur during rainRain falling down a masonry chimney doesn’t land directly in the firebox. Instead, because of the way a masonry chimney is designed, this rain lands in an area behind the damper called a smoke shelf unless the chimney has a cap. The rain collects in the smoke shelf until the water eventually evaporates. This rain water mixes with soot and can have a rancid, musty odor. This is another good reason to have a chimney cap on the top of the chimney.

Fireplace odors are a common problem but with a little knowledge, odors can be avoided, decreased or completely eliminated. Reduce smoking problems, have your chimney swept regularly, install tight-fitting glass doors, provide make-up air in tight homes to prevent pressurization problems, and install a cap to keep out rain and animals. Then sit back and enjoy your fireplace without the smell of regret the next day. After all, the smell of a campfire can be enjoyable on a camping trip, but not in your living room!