Wood Fireplace Insert Safety
Be sure you are taking the proper precautions when installing and maintaining a wood fireplace insert or stove. The Midwest Chimney Safety Council issued a warning to its members recently to be prepared for the busiest fall season in decades. “Chimney sweeps will likely not be able to keep up with the demand for cleaning, inspection, and installation services,” said Kirk Scott, President of the MCSC. “There are only so many qualified chimney sweeps to go around, and we don’t have enough to serve the public.” Chimney sweeps are already reporting that their busy season, which usually starts September 1, started in mid-July this year.
As consumers turn to alternative methods of heating such as wood stoves, wood-burning fireplace inserts, and wood-burning furnaces may attempt to do the installation or service work themselves. “One of the biggest mistakes is not installing a properly sized flue liner with a fireplace insert,” says Marge Padgitt, Educational Director for the MCSC. “If the liner is too large it can cause excessive flammable creosote accumulation, which can lead to a chimney fire.”
Most house fires related to heating appliances are due to improper installation and maintenance, so consumers are encouraged to wait until a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep can inspect and sweep the chimney rather than doing it themselves or hiring an unqualified chimney company.
Fireplace flues should typically be inspected and cleaned annually. Wood stoves or inserts used for heating should be inspected and cleaned at least twice during the wood-burning season. Some manufacturers recommend sweeping the chimney once per month so check your owners manual for details. Furnace/hot water heater flues should be inspected annually for clogs by debris or nests, or breaks or gaps in the flue liner that could pose a Carbon Monoxide hazard.
Visit the MCSC website at http//www.mcsc-net.org Midwest Chimney Safety Council for free consumer information.