Tip: Chimneys, Soot, and Fires. Oh my!
Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove? If so, it likely gets a lot of use during the cold New Hampshire or Massachusetts winters. When was the last time you had your chimney inspected or cleaned? If you cannot answer this question, it has been too long.
Hundreds of chimney fires occur every year. Many of the fires are a result of built up soot and creosote. Creosote is the thick, slimy material that is a byproduct of burning wood. When it cools off it can solidify and accumulate on the interior of your chimney and become a clogging hazard. If a fire burns too hot, creosote combustion can be a major concern as well.
Chimney fires are extremely dangerous and destructive to properties. Often times they can go unnoticed for a period of time because they are hidden behind walls. They can also spread to other parts of the house by breaking through weak points in masonry or flue pipe joints. Indications of a chimney fire occurring have been described as the following: loud cracking and popping noise, increased volume of dense smoke, and intense/hot smell.
What can you do to prevent a chimney fire? Regular maintenance is the solution. Having a certified and licensed chimney firm inspect and clean your chimney on an annual basis will drastically reduce the threat of a fire. Simply put, clean chimneys don’t catch fire. If you need an inspection or cleaning, please contact Soil-Away for a referral to a qualified chimney company.
If your property has sustained fire, soot, or smoke damage from a chimney fire, Soil-Away can help. Soil-Away’s team of certified fire restoration technicians will clean, deodorize and restore your property to pre-loss condition. We will work with your insurance company to process the fire damage claim and ensure life gets back to normal as soon as possible. Soil-Away’s fire/smoke damage cleanup team serves south/central New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. In the first quarter of 2014, Soil-Away restored chimney-related fire damaged properties in Windham, Franklin, Sunapee, Nashua, Dover, and Salem, NH.
