Chimney Safety

Chimney fires are common during the winter months. These fires can be very damaging to a home or building and often go unnoticed. These fires can result from improper care and maintenance.

Safety Tips

• Have your chimney inspected annually before each use.
• Check stove pipes and connections to ensure screws fit tightly at every joint.
• Keep all vents free of debris, ice, and snow.
• Protect walls and floors from heat and sparks by using proper fitting screens around fireplaces.
• Keep all combustibles away from fireplaces.
• Allow ashes from fireplaces to cool before emptying them into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the container outside.

Signs of a Chimney Fire

• “Puffy” creosote  (residue), with rainbow-coloured streaks that has expanded beyond creosote’s normal form.
• Warped metal (on the damper, smoke chamber, connector pipe or factory-built metal chimney).
• Cracked or collapsed flue (structure that leads outside) or tiles with large chunks missing.
• Discoloured/distorted rain cap.
• Creosote flakes and pieces on the roof or ground.
• Roofing material damaged.
• Cracks in exterior masonry.
• Evidence of smoke escaping through mortar joints of masonry or tole liners. 

If you think a chimney fire has occurred, call a WETT Certified Chimney Sweep for a professional evaluation.