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Chimney fire!!

84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
edited January 2017 in General Discussion
Holy crap!! That is some scary crap.

My next door neighbor had it happen to him about a week ago, when I was not home.

Had flames shooting about 4' out of his chimney top.

Came up and grabbed my large extension ladder to access to top of his chimney. (??)

I told him about using the chimney cleaning crystals, and the "anti-creosoot," spray to avoid that.

Well just now, threw a couple 30 pack cardboard containers into my woodstove. Noticed all of a sudden my crap was going haywire.

Smoke going everywhere inside, around edge of woodstove/fireplace.

Went outside. Flames shooting up 2' around chimney top. Choking it down had no effect, as it had enough O2 around outside edges of fire plate, sealing woodstove to fireplace. Oh crap!!

Woodstove open to burn crap out, or woodstove flue closed, to try and choke it off. Neither seemed to work. Have the chimney stick to choke it off, and deny oxygen if necessary. Scary crap. House filled with smoke. Glad I was home.

So much for the crystals, and spray, I use.

Worthless.


Damn. Scary crap!!

Flame on. (Literally )

Comments

  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,159 ******
    edited November -1
    Got to brush them,inspect them regularly,,then again.
    Got to quit burning trash in a wood stove.
  • pingjockeypingjockey Member Posts: 1,879 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The glue in that cardboard is a bad deal if it's the laminated style.
    I got lucky one day when living in Colorado, came around a corner
    only to see a chimney with flames shooting out of it. I carried a
    large drychem since I did inhome sealed system repair. Knocked on the door and a panicked lady answered, I ran in and dumped the entire
    bottle in the air grate and shut it down. Thank the Lord that did
    it! It was out by the time the FD got there. Sure makes your heart pound though!
  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,494 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Burn dry wood... no tater chips
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Chimfex is exactly what I have in hand here.

    I guess it is a good thing it caught, and burned that crap out of my flue.

    Just now getting smoke out of house with fans.

    Scary crap. 1st chimney fire in my lifetime. (And) I burn wood every winter, everywhere I have lived.

    Gotta pay the chimney sweep.

    Lesson learned.
  • wiplashwiplash Member Posts: 7,145 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    With it sounding like a Rocket Engine, that doesn't help to calm the Nerves either!

    Mine started because of burning Pine with a lot of Pitch. My Roof was glowing red from the Embers! Scary is a mild way of putting it!
    There is no such thing as Liberal Men, only Liberal Women with Penises.'
  • jimdeerejimdeere Member, Moderator Posts: 26,240 ******
    edited November -1
    Be sure to check your attic and where any combustibles contact the chimney.
    It can smolder for days.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Luckily, it was raining just now, (lightly) and kept the worry of asphalt shingles from catching on fire, down to a minimum.



    I look at it as a good thing, (like I told my bud last week.)
    At least it burned your poop out.

    Cleaned you up. Good thing. [:0][:D]
  • wiplashwiplash Member Posts: 7,145 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jimdeere
    Be sure to check your attic and where any combustibles contact the chimney.
    It can smolder for days.


    I crawled up in mine with a squirt bottle and started pumping away! That Tripple Wall Chimney was glowing Red! It scorched the ceiling and blistered the paint on my wall!
    There is no such thing as Liberal Men, only Liberal Women with Penises.'
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You definitely need to have your chimney inspected before use again.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jimdeere
    Be sure to check your attic and where any combustibles contact the chimney.
    It can smolder for days.



    No attic. Chimney on outskirts of home. Dies not seem to be any lingering effects. Will remain hyper vigilant.

    Yes. A wake up call.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by montanajoe
    Got to brush them,inspect them regularly,,then again.
    Got to quit burning trash in a wood stove.



    bingo!
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've had my regular woodstove fire going much hotter than what I had going today. (Just saying.) Would have happened eventually either way.

    As stated before, glad I was home to deal with it.

    Definitely some scary crap.




    What was weird was that, all of my smoke alarms initially went off, but as it went on, they were silent. Very strange.

    As I said. Lesson learned.
  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,175 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1

    So much for the crystals, and spray, I use.

    Worthless.
    Yep. Also People have trouble when they just have smoldering fires. Heat that baby up at least every other day(assuming you run a fire around the clock like we do)and keep 'er burned out!

    Glad you didn't have a disaster on your hands.
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Horse Plains Drifter
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1

    So much for the crystals, and spray, I use.

    Worthless.
    Yep. Also People have trouble when they just have smoldering fires. Heat that baby up at least every other day(assuming you run a fire around the clock like we do)and keep 'er burned out!

    Glad you didn't have a disaster on your hands.


    Yes Sir. Thank you.

    I feel VERY fortunate just now.
  • asopasop Member Posts: 9,006 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't even burn "soft woods" in either our fireplace nor wood burner much less cardboard or similar products.
  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,127 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Running a stove on "slow burn" mode will cause a lot of creosote build up. Son's Brother-in-law is setting himself up for a disaster. He put in a stove far too big for his house and lets it smolder along on hedge chunks. Son has warned him multiple times but some folks can't listen. I'm concerned for the 3 little kids in the house-the adults seem too dumb to be worried about.
  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,159 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jimdeere
    Be sure to check your attic and where any combustibles contact the chimney.
    It can smolder for days.
    +100
  • SGSG Member Posts: 7,548
    edited November -1
    Good to hear you caught it! Scary stuff and and a good reminder to get your chimneys cleaned annually if you burn frequently. I also use the creosote cleaner to help dry out the build up but it's not a replacement for physically cleaning.
  • dan kellydan kelly Member Posts: 9,799
    edited November -1
    i dont know what it equals in u.s. gallons, but one litre of water will make 1000 litres of steam.
    put water on the fire and let the steam put the flames in the chimney/flue out...it works!
  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,175 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dan kelly
    i dont know what it equals in u.s. gallons, but one litre of water will make 1000 litres of steam.
    put water on the fire and let the steam put the flames in the chimney/flue out...it works!
    Ross, one liter equals just over 1/4 us gallon, and yes the steam works good.
  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dan and Drifter are correct- use a spray bottle on the fire, shut the draft, let steam snuff the fire.

    As the man said up there, don't burn trash in a wood stove, run a good hot burn at least every other day, slow fire= creosote. Some woods are worse than others, but all gives SOME creosote. Right now I am burning 3 yr old white oak, and I still have a sweep clean chimney once a year. The preventative stuff, spray or powder will HELP, but you still need chimney brushed.
  • Irish 8802Irish 8802 Member Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1
    Holy crap!! That is some scary crap.

    My next door neighbor had it happen to him about a week ago, when I was not home.

    Had flames shooting about 4' out of his chimney top.

    Came up and grabbed my large extension ladder to access to top of his chimney. (??)

    I told him about using the chimney cleaning crystals, and the "anti-creosoot," spray to avoid that.

    Well just now, threw a couple 30 pack cardboard containers into my woodstove. Noticed all of a sudden my crap was going haywire.

    Smoke going everywhere inside, around edge of woodstove/fireplace.

    Went outside. Flames shooting up 2' around chimney top. Choking it down had no effect, as it had enough O2 around outside edges of fire plate, sealing woodstove to fireplace. Oh crap!!

    Woodstove open to burn crap out, or woodstove flue closed, to try and choke it off. Neither seemed to work. Have the chimney stick to choke it off, and deny oxygen if necessary. Scary crap. House filled with smoke. Glad I was home.

    So much for the crystals, and spray, I use.

    Worthless.


    Damn. Scary crap!!

    Flame on. (Literally )
    Just curious,,if you were not home,how do you know he "grabbed My large extension ladder"? and----you advised him regarding cleaning crystals and creosoot??
  • bigt7mmbigt7mm Member Posts: 4,716 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Obviously, the Russians.

    Damn straight.
  • 35 Whelen35 Whelen Member Posts: 14,307 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Irish 8802
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1
    Holy crap!! That is some scary crap.

    My next door neighbor had it happen to him about a week ago, when I was not home.

    Had flames shooting about 4' out of his chimney top.

    Came up and grabbed my large extension ladder to access to top of his chimney. (??)

    I told him about using the chimney cleaning crystals, and the "anti-creosoot," spray to avoid that.

    Well just now, threw a couple 30 pack cardboard containers into my woodstove. Noticed all of a sudden my crap was going haywire.

    Smoke going everywhere inside, around edge of woodstove/fireplace.

    Went outside. Flames shooting up 2' around chimney top. Choking it down had no effect, as it had enough O2 around outside edges of fire plate, sealing woodstove to fireplace. Oh crap!!

    Woodstove open to burn crap out, or woodstove flue closed, to try and choke it off. Neither seemed to work. Have the chimney stick to choke it off, and deny oxygen if necessary. Scary crap. House filled with smoke. Glad I was home.

    So much for the crystals, and spray, I use.

    Worthless.


    Damn. Scary crap!!

    Flame on. (Literally )
    Just curious,,if you were not home,how do you know he "grabbed My large extension ladder"? and----you advised him regarding cleaning crystals and creosoot??



    Wouldn't common sense dictate that mention that the ladder had been borrowed, along with the discussion on cleaning crystals and creosote, would've taken place after HE GOT HOME AND TALKED TO THE NEIGHBOR ABOUT IT??

    Uh, duuuuuh.

    Hi. My name is " You looked way farther into this than necessary ". Have we met? We seem to have had this discussion before.
    An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.
  • Wild TurkeyWild Turkey Member Posts: 2,425 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When I was in engineering school (longer ago than I want to think about) The Speed Engineering School in Louisville ran a creosote test -- they carefully burned both green and dry fire wood and measured the creosote production.

    To the surprise of almost all they discovered that volume for volume green and dry wood produced the same amount of creosote.

    However, since green wood produces fewer BTU's of heat that means you have to burn more to get the same amount of heat that dry wood would produce.

    They also discovered that different species all produce the same amount of creosote on a pound for pound basis; again you have to burn more of the light wood to get the heat so it will seem it produces more creosote.

    Chimney sweeping is just part of having a wood fire.[:D]
  • kidthatsirishkidthatsirish Member Posts: 6,983 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dad always made a point to use a chimney brush once a year. Still does to this day. If you brush them regularly you can dang well burn whatever you want.
  • dpmuledpmule Member Posts: 6,739 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When all we had was wood heat, we burnt mostly red fir or yellow pine/lodge pole.

    About twice a winter, I would get stove running hot for a couple hours and then start stuffing it full of wadded up newspaper and really get it huffing and puffing. It would blow fire 3 or 4 feet out the top of the chimney and blow chunks of creosote buildup all over the roof and lawn. When it cleaned up to my liking, I had a 2 gallon pail and would shut the dampers on the stove doors and poor a gallon and close the door and let the steam take care of it, seldom did I have to use the second gallon and it wasn't enough to extinguish the fire in the stove.
    Never had a problem doing this in a chimney that was laid in 1913, sure would get the old stove and pipe glowing though.
    Did have a couple people driving by stop and let me know we had a chimney fire and they were always surprised to hear us say, yes we know we started it and our burning out the chimney.
    Your mileage may vary.

    Mule
  • sharpshooter039sharpshooter039 Member Posts: 5,897 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have one of the big double door cast iron wood heater/fireplace.It will take 22 inch wood.. I brush out the chimney at least twice a winter and always after the last fire of the year as it kills the smell..I have still set mine on fire a couple times,,I just close the air vents and shut the doors tight,,it will run out of air and die in about a minute,,just dont open the doors back up for awhile or it will suck the hat off your head when it fires back up
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by kidthatsirish
    Dad always made a point to use a chimney brush once a year. Still does to this day. If you brush them regularly you can dang well burn whatever you want.



    Yes. I know better. I used to own the required size brush for what ever size shape chimney my house/houses required, as well as annually brushing/cleaning it myself.

    Getting older (56 now) I really don't want to be 30'+ up a ladder doing that at current location.

    Got lazy and I paid for it. Got lucky. Lesson learned.

    I do not do much along the lines of a smoldering fire. If its going, its going pretty good. I used to work as a heavy equipment operator at a sawmill 2-3 years ago. I could bring home as much hardwood log trimming and logs (metal detected in it.) home as I wanted.

    I brought home probably 1 huge pickup load every week or every other week. I've got a very large selection of cured hardwood on hand.

    My mistake was:

    1- thinking the crystals and spray were doing more than they actually were.

    2- not regularly cleaning/brushing my chimney.

    3- according to some here, burning "trash" in my woodstove. (It was two crumpled up 30 pack beer containers.) Not big cardboard boxes.

    As stated earlier - I know better. I got very lucky, and I know it. Lesson learned.
  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,526 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Chris, you need to burn creosote sticks about once a month. My neighbor has had about 5 chimney fires in two years. Last one took out his living room. He is a know it all , Lawyer. They are removing the fireplace when they remodel the living room[;)]. My dad and I climb up on the roof and clean out the flu on the wood stove, every two months and burn the creosote stick I got, about once a month. This stopped our chimney fires. Chimney fires and Dryer fires, are the number one reason for house fires. I have learned to clean both at the same time, to prevent this. Oakie
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by sharpshooter039
    I have one of the big double door cast iron wood heater/fireplace.It will take 22 inch wood.. I brush out the chimney at least twice a winter and always after the last fire of the year as it kills the smell..I have still set mine on fire a couple times,,I just close the air vents and shut the doors tight,,it will run out of air and die in about a minute,,just dont open the doors back up for awhile or it will suck the hat off your head when it fires back up



    I have the same type of stove. Large double door Fisher Grandpa model.

    I think, after all is said and done, the chimney fire was a good thing, as it burned out/consumed all the existing creosote.

    My unit would not choke out the fire, as the fireplace opening is sealed with a large custom cut steel plate that fits the opening albeit not perfectly. It has very small amount of fiberglass insulation in the gaps between edge of plate and edge of fire place opening.

    These gaps allowed enough oxygen into the chimney when woodstove choked down to maintain fire. In sone cases, the suction once fire got going good in chimney, sucked some small bits in. allowing more O2. (This was to be a temporary fix.)

    Project I will tackle in a couple hours is to use the can of special fire retardent expanding spray foam (designed specifically for this purpose) and pull all the small bits of fiberglass insulation out, and do it right, with the spray foam, to totally seal the gaps off.

    In the future if this ever were to happen again, theoretically I could choke the woodstove down and deny O2 to the chimney.

    I will be doing that project in a little while, later today.
  • mjrfd99mjrfd99 Member Posts: 4,553 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Chimney sweeps are cheaper than your deductible I'll bet. I would do our stoves once a year. Older and not broke so now I pay.
    I also watch. One company I used at first only wanted to make believe they swept. Yep threw them off the roof. LOL
    I've been to a few chimney fires - here's our SOP
    Good read
    http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-161/issue-2/features/extinguishing-chimney-fires.html
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 84Bravo1
    quote:Originally posted by jimdeere
    Be sure to check your attic and where any combustibles contact the chimney.
    It can smolder for days.



    No attic. Chimney on outskirts of home. Dies not seem to be any lingering effects. Will remain hyper vigilant.

    Yes. A wake up call.


    There is the "issue", a chimney inside keeps the flue gasses hot enough to reduce deposits, geting them out of the pipe. Outside chimneys let the colder ambient temps cool and condense creosote in the pipe.

    I had 11" Heatolator triple wall on my furnace/fire box combo in Alaska. I burned about 10 cords a year heating the house. September was get on the roof with the brush and sweep all the nasties out of the pipe time. Being we burned mostly dry birch creosote was seldom seen.

    Glad you did not burn your home down!!!!
  • 84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 10,461 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you bpost.

    My house is a very steep pitched A-frame. 3 stories. The stone double chimney sticks straight up into the air from the side of the house. Goes about 30' up.

    Not a chimney one wants to climb. (Ladder on deck also.) I've been up there a few times over the 4 years I've lived here. I'm not afraid of heights (but) being older now, (you realuze if things go wrong,) it probably would not end well. [:0][:(]
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