You can see a chimney flue after a chimney fire. The state fire service department says a mason should inspect a chimney and flue before a wood or pellet stove is used.

By Chuck Amaral

Recently, the town of Lunenburg has seen several chimney fires.

 In winter, with more households using wood stoves, chimney-related accidents are becoming more common. Lunenburg Fire Chief Scott Glenny, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Fire, have suggested ways in which chimney owners can improve the general safety of their equipment.

            Chimney fires are caused by creosote and other byproducts of burning wood building up inside a chimney. When a fire is lit, these byproducts may become hot enough to ignite and cause a fire. The Massachusetts Department of Fire claims there were 928 fires involving chimneys, fireplaces and wood stoves in 2009.

            Chief Glenny said that the Lunenburg Fire Department deals with roughly twenty chimney fires a year. These incidents occur largely in winter, when wood stoves are getting the most usage.

            The most important way to prevent such fires from happening, according to Chief Glenny, is to have the chimney cleaned by a professional at least once a year - getting a chimney properly brushed and cleaned helps to prevent buildup that causes such fires.

            A big problem with these chimneys and stoves, said Glenny, occur when chimney owners try to remove pellets and ashes that may still be smoldering. People often remove these pellets and place them outside, or in a cardboard box stored in a garage or under a deck.
 What people might not be aware of, according to Glenny, is that these ashes may still be smoldering “as much as five or six days” after being removed. These pellets, if still smoldering, can catch a breeze, and oxygen can cause them to re-ignite. These pellets should be stored in a metal bucket with a metal lid, and stored outside, away from the building. Also, if a chimney gets too cold and loses its draft, combustion products can come into the house.

            Any new installment should be inspected by a building inspector, said Glenny. A building permit should also be obtained before installation. Most stoves need approximately 36 inches of clearance space. This clearance space prevents combustible objects from coming into contact with heat from the chimney.

 Lunenburg’s Building Inspector is Michael Sauvageau and his office is in the Ritter Administration Building.

            Another important preventive measure is to have a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector installed in the house. Both of these alarms are required now, by law, to be present in every home in Massachusetts.

            According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Web site, a mason should also inspect the chimney and flue before a stove is used, as cracks in the structure can allow flames and gases to extend into it.

 In an Online article entitled, “Heating Safely with Solid Fuels - Chimney, Wood, Coal and Pellet Stoves”, the state fire services department recommends burning only “dry, well seasoned hardwood”; this reduces the risk of creosote buildup. The department also suggests not using flammable liquids, not leaving unattended children near a fire, using a fireplace screen to prevent flying sparks and embers, and opening the damper before lighting a fire. And before buying a heating stove, consumers should make sure it has been approved by Underwriter’s Laboratories, Inc., or any other independent testing lab.

The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Web site contains more information on chimney safety. To find out more, visit mass.gov and search “chimney fires”.