What’s It Like To Have A Chimney Fire

It’s no picnic. Chances are it will only scare the daylights out of you. However it can damage the house considerably if allowed to get out of control. A chimney fire burns so hot (sometimes in excess of 2000
degrees F), it can crack the flue tiles in a masonry chimney. With prefrabricated chimney, a chimney fire can cause the joints to separate or cause the pipe to wrap. In either situation, the fire can spread to other parts of the house. The brick work itself can radiate enough heat to ignite paneling or surrounding woodwork. The fire can melt mortar from the masonry chimney joints and send it flying into the air like a roman candle with red hot pieces falling on your roof. Add to that the embarrassment of having three fire trucks parked in front of your house, and you begin to get the picture.
After a chimney fire, it’s very important to have a chimney professional clean and inspect the chimney. There could be a build up of creosote that is blocking the flue. There could also be cracked or damaged flue tiles (in masonry chimneys), or warped or separated pipe (in a prefab chimney). This could create a dangerous, life threatening condition. If you have a second chimney fire in a damaged chimney like this, the cracks in the chimney can open up and creosote and flames can penetrate through the tiles and pipe. Add this to a chimney that has cracks, and you can end up with flames and creosote coming into contact with surrounding combustibles including roof joists, paneling, etc.