As you snuggle in front of a cozy fire or bask
in the warmth of your wood stove, you are taking part in a
ritual of comfort and enjoyment handed down through the centuries.
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.
Chimney fires can burn explosively - noisy and dramatic enough
to be detected by neighbours or passersby. 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 air plane.
However, those are only the chimney fires you know about.
Slow-burning chimney fires don't get enough air or have enough
fuel to be as dramatic or visible. But, the temperatures they
reach are very high and can cause as much damage to the chimney
structure - and nearby combustible parts of the house - as
their more spectacular cousins.
With proper chimney system care, chimney fires are entirely
preventable.
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