Chimney Chains

[CaptOldTimer]

We don't use chains.

We put the fire out in the chimney and inform the owner they need a chimney service to clean the chimney. We aren't chimney cleaners.

[PaladinKnight]

I should make my statement a bit clearer...

The chains don't clean the chimney, they are only used when necessary to dislodge fuel.

9 out of 10 times, they are not used.

I have always advised owners that we cannot clean it, and they should find a qualified sweep. We only put out the fire.

[Blulakr]

I should make my statement a bit clearer...

The chains don't clean the chimney, they are only used when necessary to dislodge fuel.

9 out of 10 times, they are not used.

I have always advised owners that we cannot clean it, and they should find a qualified sweep. We only put out the fire.

That makes sense. As a firefighter, I have never encountered a chimney fire that was that difficult to extinguish. Probably because our climate is fairly mild and fireplaces are used less.

When I was growing up in Wa. State our house had a few chimney fires. Most of the time they would go out when the fireplace was shut down. On one occasion the fire wouldn't go out. The stove pipe was glowing red where it went into the wall. I was twelve and home alone. I was scared poopless. I ended up on the roof pouring a bucket of water down the chimney to extinguish it. I probably damaged the chimney that way but I saved the house.

After I moved away our house eventually burned while no one was home, likely from another chimney fire.

[PaladinKnight]

I was twelve and home alone. I was scared poopless.

Yeah... I saw that movie.


No doubt water poured down the chimney didn't do the masonary any good by the rapid cooling, but the steam effect most likely put out the fire. You're lucky you didn't get steamed and burned.

I am amazed how many people still do not know you have to clean their chimney. Or how many tell me they just cleaned it ten years ago, it should be alright.

My neighbor called me on Friday evening.

The conversation went like this...

Him: I seem to have smoke in my den.

Me: Do you know what is causing it?

Him: Well, I started a fire in the fireplace about 30 minutes ago.

Me: Is the damper open?

Him: Is that the little door up above the logs?

Me: Yes... is smoke exiting out the top of the chimney?

Him: I don't see any... What should I look for?

Me: A firetruck.... it will be there in a few minutes.

Mim: Is that really necessary... can't you just come over and fix it?

Me: I'm on the way, but I'll need a few things from the firetruck... called firefighters.

When I got to his house, he had a garden hose ready to take to the roof and handed it to me. I told him ours was bigger but we might not need it.

Turned out he had never cleaned the thing and was burning a cardboard box to start the logs.

It took four chimney bomb and 30 minutes to solve the issue.

[Chief_Roy]

I am amazed how many people still do not know you have to clean their chimney. Or how many tell me they just cleaned it ten years ago, it should be alright.

My father still cleans his chimney once per year by stuffing the fireplace box full of crumpled newspaper and torching it off. It drives me crazy, but in 40+ years he's never had a single chimney fire. I guess it must work, and I also guess whoever built his chimney must have built it bomb-proof.

[PaladinKnight]

There are some folks that build controlled fires in their flue. They put a thermometer on the stack, get the temperature to 500 dgerees and then close the flue. In theory, the temperature of the fire in the flue will rise to 550 degrees and then extinguish itself rapidly. I have not seen this first hand, but a few oldtimers swear by it and never cleaned the flue.

[Rescue101]

Gotta love the old timers. Been doing for YEARS. Some do real well,some have ripping chimney fires and SOME don't realize that the fire is NO longer in the chimney until they see the wallpaper bubbling. BTDT. T.C.

[Chief_Roy]

Gotta love the old timers. Been doing for YEARS. Some do real well,some have ripping chimney fires and SOME don't realize that the fire is NO longer in the chimney until they see the wallpaper bubbling. BTDT. T.C.

Totally a tangent, but that reminds me of the worst "chimney" fire I ever saw. Guy had bought this house and had lived in it for a couple of years. One cold winter day he finally decides to start a fire in the downstairs fireplace. Starts getting some smoke backing up in to the room so he stokes it up hotter as he figures he's not getting a good draft. 15 minutes later a neighbor alerts him to flames coming out of his roof. Long story short, the whole place burned to the ground. Turns out his second floor had been remodeled years prior and they removed the chimney between the second floor and roof. It basically just ended in the attic. Big oops.

[HAFD112]

Gotta love the old timers. Been doing for YEARS. Some do real well,some have ripping chimney fires and SOME don't realize that the fire is NO longer in the chimney until they see the wallpaper bubbling. BTDT. T.C.

Last summer we were called to an "old timers" place, he was burning a refrigerator in the front yard. He said it was too dirty to clean.

[hwoods]

And............

When handling chains, use heavy welding gloves. They still can get pretty hot, so you have to take care.

Why settle for a small roof fire, just drop them over the side and set the yard, trash, car, HOSEBED on fire...

Give the guys on the ground something to do.

.....

[hwoods]

And Again..........

The "Worst Chimney Fire" reminded me of this one: About 10-12 years ago, we get a call for "Smoke in the Area"...... Leaving the station, we see a large Black smoke column. Turning the corner onto the street where the call came from we see an old 2.4 floor single family home with heavy Fire blowing 20 feet straight up out of the Chimney. Homeowner said he was given some free firewood, which he promply showed us....... TELEPHONE POLES!!!......

[FIRE117]

The "Worst Chimney Fire" reminded me of this one: About 10-12 years ago, we get a call for "Smoke in the Area"...... Leaving the station, we see a large Black smoke column. Turning the corner onto the street where the call came from we see an old 2.4 floor single family home with heavy Fire blowing 20 feet straight up out of the Chimney. Homeowner said he was given some free firewood, which he promply showed us....... TELEPHONE POLES!!!......

While we are on the subject of what not to do with your wood stove, here is another example:

Some guys thought it was a "bright" idea to dispose of their Christmas tree in the fire place. They placed one end of the tree in the fireplace and of course, the whole dry tree immediately went up in an inferno. I do not know how they kept the place from burning down!

[Blulakr]

Last August, during the peak of fire season, I was taking time to train a newbie on pump op's. We had driven to a vacant lot where we could flow some water. I noticed smoke from a nearby house. This house had a lot of debris and tall dry grass all around it. A roman candle waiting for a match. Knowing it was a no-burn day and seeing more smoke than a bbq would produce, I investigated.

Turns out the homeowner was clipping the tall grass with pruning shears and burning it in the fireplace.

Only in Humboldt County

[hwoods]

Yep.........

Last August, during the peak of fire season, I was taking time to train a newbie on pump op's. We had driven to a vacant lot where we could flow some water. I noticed smoke from a nearby house. This house had a lot of debris and tall dry grass all around it. A roman candle waiting for a match. Knowing it was a no-burn day and seeing more smoke than a bbq would produce, I investigated.

Turns out the homeowner was clipping the tall grass with pruning shears and burning it in the fireplace.

Only in Humboldt County

Some of your neighbors must have moved East. Our Burning Laws are so tight that people do stupid Pet Tricks here too. Several times we've been called for a "Smoke in the area" or "Illegal Burning" call to find people burning Leaves in a BBQ Grill............

Gotta give them a "C" in Creative Disposal Class though, they're quick to point out that the Law that allows outdoor BBQ Grills doesn't specify Fuel Types.......

[Chief_Roy]

Last August, during the peak of fire season, I was taking time to train a newbie on pump op's. We had driven to a vacant lot where we could flow some water. I noticed smoke from a nearby house. This house had a lot of debris and tall dry grass all around it. A roman candle waiting for a match. Knowing it was a no-burn day and seeing more smoke than a bbq would produce, I investigated.

Turns out the homeowner was clipping the tall grass with pruning shears and burning it in the fireplace.

Only in Humboldt County

That just makes me chuckle, and it's certainly not just in Humboldt County. I could write a book about the crap people try to burn in fireplaces and wood stoves. I imagine a lot of us could. I've seen people burning garbage in their stoves, asphalt shingles, pieces of retread tires. The calls always come in the same way. "My neighbor's chimney has thick black smoke coming out and it smells terrible." I need to make up a Darwin Award on my computer that I can place in the structure fire packet in the engines to hand out to people.