Hearth and Chimney Safety

Chase after chimney fire — Outside of chase after fire was extinguished.

Hearth and chimney fires are a serious matter, and can cause hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in property damage. In the last three years, approximately 72,500 chimney fires occurred in the United States, causing about $92 million in property damage and resulting in 30 deaths. In November of 2013, a chimney fire damaged a home in Louisa County (see photo to the right). The fire was not catastrophic only because some residents were home and awake. This fire was caused by a wood stove being placed too close to combustibles (osb board). The combustibles were behind a stone facing, which is a common problem. Many people think stone acts as a heat barrier. In fact, stone is a very good conductor of heat and the heat was simply transferred to the board underneath, which spontaneously caught fire after a process called pyrolysis lowered the combustion temperature of the wood. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure proper clearances! When a manufacturer refers to a “heat shield” or “protected surface” it means a noncombustible material with a 1″ air space between the combustible and the heat shield — it must be open on 3 sides or at the top and the bottom allow air to freely circulate behind the heat shield.

While there are many possible factors contributing to any chimney fire, the most common is the buildup of creosote, whether glazed or powdery, which results from incomplete combustion of a wood fire. In addition to burning well-seasoned wood in a responsible fashion, it’s important for homeowners to make sure to have the chimney and fireplace cleaned and inspected each year by a certified hearth professional. Not only will the sweep make sure that the chimney is clear of creosote and other buildup, but he or she can provide information about any damage (loose pipes, damaged masonry, etc) which may interfere with the safe, efficient operation of wood-burning appliances.

Laurelwood Condominium Fire — Damage to the three units was catastrophic. All three had to be completely gutted and rebuilt.

In early February of 2012, several units in the Laurelwood Condominiums at Wintergreen Resort were damaged by what initially appeared to be a chimney fire. Investigators later determined the fire to have been the result of sparks coming from the firebox and getting into a gap between the firebox and hearth extension in one of the units. A protective metal strip was not installed as required by code and the manufacturer. Wooden Sun has been retroactively removing the hearth and installing the missing metal strips, a costly but necessary repair.

Installing fireplaces safely is important! Make sure to check the required clearances to combustibles for your wood-burning appliance, use adequate hearth protection (insulated hearth pad, stone hearth, etc), and never leave an open fire unattended. Additionally, a spark guard or screen door can keep burning embers in your fireplace where they belong, rather than on your carpet or furniture. Finally, always remove fireplace ash to a metal container, rather than plastic or wood, and never place the container on a combustible floor after removing ashes. Embers can remain hot for days, and any ashes should be treated as though they had burning embers in them.

From initial contact to scheduling service through completion of the call, my experience was excellent in terms of customer service, knowledge and ability to quickly diagnose and solve the problem, thoroughness in cleaning the gas insert and testing and retesting to be certain the insert worked well. Kim was courteous and helpful in answering all of our questions and instructing us on the features of our remote control.

We will ALWAYS call Wooden Sun for future service – they are the BEST.

— Karen

After 3 years with our HWAM stove we continue to be absolutely delighted! It is a centerpiece of our living room, with not just its warmth, but the large window into the flames. One surprise for us has been how much fireplaces have changed. The modern fireplace is truly a marvel of engineering, and HWAM is at the very forefront. You notice it by the fact that you only need to add wood every 2 hours (3 logs heat the room for 2 hours!), by the way in which the flames seem to move in slow motion, and by the very small amount of ash that remains after a whole day’s heating. In fact, often we still have enough embers in the morning to start the new fire. Finally, we have come to treasure the work that you have done in installing the fireplace. With your expert work it is so easy to start the fires. Your advice to also add a new liner to the chimney was spot on. We are delighted and thank you. All the very best of success in 2016.

— Dirk