ACCORDING TO TIM DAWDY, battalion chief and fire marshal for Clark County Fire & Rescue, most chimney fires are in flues connected to wood stoves. A buildup of creosote can sometimes be waiting to ignite unexpectedly.
As days and nights get cooler and people start using fireplaces and wood stoves, a Clark County Fire & Rescue spokesman urges residents to have their chimney cleaned to prevent possible house fires.
“The last two fatalities we’ve had were traced to wood stoves,” said Tim Dawdy, battalion chief and fire marshal for the agency.
He said most chimney fires are in flues connected to wood stoves. Dawdy said several area chimney sweep companies are available to inspect flues to see if a buildup of creosote is waiting to ignite unexpectedly.
Sometimes, blockages of things other than creosote create the potential problem.
“I’ve seen everything from a bird nest to a raccoon living in the chimney,” Dawdy said.
He suggests residents with chimneys get three bids from chimney sweep companies because prices vary. Representatives of some companies get into the role by wearing traditional chimney sweep garb, Dawdy added.
House fires can begin in other ways, too. Dawdy said people have been known to put stove ashes in a plastic container, and set the container in a garage. He recalled that being the impetus for a significant house fire when the coals, which the homeowner thought were extinguished, burst into flame and spread after burning the container.
“Never put ashes in a combustible container,” Dawdy said. “Put the ashes in a metal bucket and take the bucket outside.”
There were 22,500 structure fires in 2011 resulting from fireplace or chimney fires, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Those fires killed 10 people and caused $35 million in structural damage, the agency said in a report.
The Battle Ground chimney sweep company Chimcare says on its website that flue fires aren’t the only thing that can happen. A build-up of soot reduces the flue’s venting ability and puts residents in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Maintenance of chimney flues has long been recognized as important for safe operation of fireplaces and wood stoves. According to Chimcare’s website, “The chimney sweep profession dates back as early as the Victorian times and flourished when coal became an important source of fuel.
“They used to send young boys up into the flue to scrape and brush clean the sides; it’s hard to believe when flues only measured nine by 13 inches. Exploitation of young boys continued in England until 1875 when it finally became illegal.”
These days, companies use long brushes and rods to scrape the inside of flues and remove soot deposits. All kinds of fireplace and stove units should be checked annually – including pellet stoves, oil stoves and wood stoves.
Possible fires in a clothes dryer also should be avoided through regular maintenance, according to Chimcare. Dryer vents need occasional cleaning to prevent accidents.
Here are some tips from Chimcare regarding dryers:
• Use the dryer only when you are home, and not during the night.
• Clean the lint trap every time you use your dryer.
• Don’t use flexible plastic venting hose. Plastic can catch fire. The best venting hose is made from rigid metal material.
• Place dryers close to the outside walls of a home so venting hoses are as short as possible.
• Have dryer vents inspected and cleaned at least once a year.
