Oct. 2—The Chimney Safety Institute of America recently reported that on average, 17,600 chimney fires occurred annually from 2015-2017. While they are gathering more current data, it is unlikely that the numbers have changed in the last several years. For this reason, National Chimney Safety Week is designated to educate homeowners on the dangers of fireplaces.
Fireplaces play a vital role in regulating the heat of wood burning stoves and other vented heaters. In order to optimize fireplace performance, it is important to routinely clean and inspect them.
"Chimneys need to be cleaned after you use two or three ricks of wood. It is practice to have a fireplace cleaned every year," said Mark Sweeney, owner of Hearth and Pool services.
He explained that many homeowners forget to look after their chimneys. They can let ashes build up over time, and it becomes easy for accidents to happen when fireplaces are dirty.
"Make sure your fire stays in the fireplace. Make sure it's not roaring. We have certified chimney sweeps that will tell you danger issues," said Sweeney.
It is important to use grates so logs don't roll out of the fireplace. He also recommends using spark screens or glass doors to contain the fire.
Fireplace owners can leave the door open if they have a manageable fire and while they are actively attending the fire, but owners of wood burning stoves are not recommended to keep the door open for very long.
"They get glowing red hot, and it will burn the components. You don't want to do that in a wood stove. You need to be careful," he said.
Hearth and Pool sells lots of high efficiency fireplaces. Most popular are vent free gas logs, gas fireplace inserts, wood burning stoves, pellet stoves, free standing pellet stoves, and vented gas stoves.
Many prefer wood burning stoves because hard wood is plentiful in Oklahoma and because they emit radiant heat.
"Wood is popular because there's a lot of it. We live in hardwood territory. There's lots of oak. It gives off a different kind of heat. It is more like the radiant sun. It heats objects in the room, not just the air," said Sweeney.
He recommends opening the damper by slowly opening the doors before the fire is fed, because this helps the stove keep in smoke.
In the event of an emergency, it is important to go outside and turn on the hose. He does not recommend sending water down the chimney because it will burst the chimney tiles. Instead, he recommends hosing down the roof because it is unlikely to catch fire if wet.
He also recommends burning seasoned wood after it has been split for six to nine months. Green wood does not burn as well, and it is more likely to smoke.
It has been a good year for wood stove sales. Many residents are receiving stimulus checks, and they are using them for home projects. After last February's cold snap, gas prices spiked. This has caused many to reconsider using gas in the winter.
While Hearth and Pool sends out certified professionals to clean their chimneys, some prefer to do it themselves.
Tahlequah Lumber sells cleaning brushes that fit the diameter of pipes. They also offer extending rods that users piece together.
"We have ash logs and ash buckets. Ash, even after three days can hold enough heat to melt a plastic bucket," said Christian Cruz of Tahlequah Lumber. "We get a lot of people who are looking for pipes. We'll have everything to help them with the installation."
They do not sell wood burning stoves or inserts, but they do offer Creosote Sweeping Logs, which are popular.
"People go crazy for Creosote Sweeping Logs, and that they are hard to keep in stock," he said.
Sweeney warns against buying Creosote Sweeping Logs, though, as they emit minerals into the chimney to dry creosote buildup.
"They are made to sell. If they did make creosote come loose, it would then fall into the smoke shelf behind the damper and be closer to the fire," he said.
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