January 12, 2007: Fireplace Dangers. Mike Hoover talks about fireplace safety but misses the point. Fireplaces are a negative heater in the sense that they draw in more cold air than they heat, raising the need for more conventional fuel. That fact aside, the wood smoke created is a serious health threat. Wood smoke is linked to 30,000 US deaths every year with as many people dying from it as from auto accidents. Wood smoke is chemically nastier than tobacco smoke, damaging cells 40 times longer. Learn more at http://burningissues.org
Mary J. Rozenberg 01.12.07 - 2:09 pm | #
Cold fuels fires
Have a fireplace? Before you fire it up in this colder weather, learn how to be safe.
By MIKE HOOVER
Daily Record/Sunday News
Article Launched: 01/12/2007 06:16:54 AM EST
Al Orlak, owner of Commonwealth Chimney Sweeps, installs a liner inside a... (Jason Plotkin - YDR)
At bottom: · SAFETY TIPS
Jan 12, 2007 — Standing on the rooftop in a cold winter breeze, Donnie Decker Jr. looks down a chimney flue and counts his blessings.
The chimney is nearly clogged solid with creosol, a tar-like, ignitable byproduct of burning wood and coal.
Decker wonders how the home did not catch fire or the residents did not suffer carbon monoxide poisoning.
"There are a lot of times there could have been a disaster," said Decker, the owner of Mr. Chimney Sweep, a York-area businesses. Decker has been cleaning and repairing chimneys for 32 years.
Despite the seasonally warm weather, Decker's business averages 20 to 50 calls a day.
Decker is more worried about those who haven't called. Clogged chimneys, cracked chimney flues and loose mortar around the brick are a recipe for a fire disaster. Decker remembers when he was called too late, including one time when he helped the Dallastown Fire Company put out a home fire by loosening debris and creosol with a chimney brush to help contain the blaze.
Ira Walker Jr., chief at the Eureka Fire Department ,which serves the Stewartstown area, knows the signs. It's a cold winter night. A trail of smoke streams toward the sky from the chimneys that dot the countryside of southern York County.
Walker knows at least one of the homeowners has not kept up on chimney maintenance, and it is only a matter of time before the situation deteriorates to a fire. It's an old rule in fire services that, as the temperatures drop, the number of chimney fires rises.
"It happens every year. The temperatures go down. People start using fireplaces. And we're off," Walker said.
"We get several a year. We had a couple of them already this year."
The warmer weather, including temperatures in the 60s, has slowed the number of chimney fire calls.
Walker and David Nichols, fire chief in West Manchester Township, say the number of chimney fires did rise during a cold spell in early December. They predict another surge as colder temperatures hit the area.
The two fires in West Manchester Township involved wood stoves. Both were preventable, Nichols said.
In one case, the homeowner improperly installed an exhaust pipe, causing the heat to catch the interior wood and walls on fire. In the second, boxes stored too close to the heat source ignited.
Chimney fires are typically messy. Walker said he remembers firefighters dismantling a fireplace brick by brick to get at the hot spots behind the wall.
The flames travel behind walls and into attics, and fire crews must cut holes in ceilings. They also involve a lot of smoke and water damage.
"We hear people say the majority of the damage was created by the firefighters. But part of the process is checking for the fire in concealed spaces," Nichols said.
Fire officials recommend making sure chimneys are not blocked to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Walker said he has seen birds and squirrels make nests in chimneys, blocking the escape of noxious smoke.
Cleaning and having chimneys inspected is critical. A crack in the chimney liner can lead to the heat igniting interior walls, floors and crawlspaces.
Most chimney fires are hard to detect, masked by the smell of other burning wood, and usually spread quickly.
"If the fire is not detected until it's in the free-burning stage, it is very labor-intensive to fight and very time consuming," Nichols said.
Today, fire departments have thermal imaging equipment to help detect the extent of a fire.
So far, Walker said, his department has been blessed by the warm weather and hopes people use preventive maintenance and common sense as the cold weather approaches.
"If people use their head, you can avoid a lot of problems," Walker said.
Editor: Just Remove the Flue comment since you will not want to burn. Know your air and learn not to burn wood: http://burningissues.org
SAFETY TIPS
Inspection: Have all heating appliances cleaned and inspected annually
Ventilation: Make sure there is proper ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning
Flue: Have chimney liners and flues inspected for cracks; have chimneys cleaned
Zone: Keep all material at least 3 feet from heating sources
Checklist: Keep a fire extinguisher handy, along with emergency numbers, an escape plan and a meeting place \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
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