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FIREPLACE INSERTS became popular in the 1970's during the nations first oil crisis. |
Recent Media Coverage and News Articles The
problem with fireplace inserts. The
trouble with fireplace inserts It
soon became apparent, however, that inserts presented a unique
installation and maintenance challenge. Their safe use as originally
hooked up became highly suspect. The Consumer Product Safety Commission
and chimney service professionals began to view them with alarm.
The incidence of house fires traced to the inadequate installation
and maintenance of fireplace inserts escalated. Many smoke chambers and chimneys ARE TOO BIG to properly vent an insert stove. A typical masonry chimney designed to vent an open fire place, has a 12 by 12-inch tile liner (144 square inches). The average insert stove requires an 8-inch round chimney, or about 51 square inches. This helps speed the much smaller volume of flue gases up and out of the chimney before they have a chance to cool down and cause trouble. The Hazards The villain here, the thing that creates a safety hazard, is the excessive production of creosote. Creosote is contained in the volatile flue gases coming up the chimney with the smoke. When these gases are allowed to linger in the flue because of an oversize chimney, they cool, causing the creosote to condense onto the walls of firebox, smoke chamber and chimney. These creosote deposits constitute a fuel that can cause intense chimney fires when ignited. One chimney fire, or a series of chimney fires, can cause unseen structural damage to the chimney and can eventually cause adjacent flammable materials (joists. studs, wall paneling, roofing, wallpaper and mantel) to catch on fire. Exposed to heat over a period of time, all of these combustibles undergo a process called "pyrolysis," which causes their ignition temperatures to be lowered so they ignite much more easily than was possible before. A combustible doesn't need exposure to direct flame. It can ignite whenever oxygen is available and its temperature is raised high enough. Maintenance An improperly installed insert is difficult to service be cause it must be taken completely out of the fireplace and because the creosote is usually of the glassy baked-on variety that is very difficult to remove. Chimney sweeps must charge more than their usual fee, which keeps many homeowners from having the work done often enough, or at all. Looking out for their own liability as well as for the customer's safety, many a sweep will refuse to reinstall the insert, saying, Don't use this until it is installed with a correctly sized flueliner clear to the top of the chimney. Your Options A new generation of EPA- certified fireplace inserts is now available. These are better designed, safer to use, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. But you want to keep your old insert? That's okay - IF you have the chimney system thoroughly cleaned, IF you see to it that the insert is properly installed, IF you operate it correctly, and IF you have it inspected and maintained on a regular basis (at least once a year). Otherwise, get the thing out of your house. Don't be one of those recalcitrant characters who says. "Well, it hasn't burned the house down yet!"
Three ways you will find fireplace inserts installed. Only Figure 3 meets the full approval of most stove Installers and chimney service professionals. Fig. 1: This shows an improperly installed fireplace insert- This type of "just-shove-it-i.nto..the-fireplace' installation causes excessive amounts of creosote to be deposited on the walls of the firebox. smoke chamber and flue. The chimney was built for fireplace use and is too big for the combustion- air-controlled appliance it now serves. Fig. 2: This shows the inserts pipe connected to the first tile of the flueliner. It is the MINIMUM installation required by the National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) 211 standard. In reality, it does not work well in most cases, It's like using a band-aid when surgery is needed. Fig.
3: This shows a full liner running from the stove to the top of
the chimney. There are many types of tested and listed liners
to take flue gases quickly and safely out of the house without
allowing creosote time to cool, condense out onto flue walls and
cause trouble. ~Gary
Olsen is a professional chimney sweep in Havelock, NC. Jay Hensley
an editor of SNEWS a trade magazine for sweeps. The
Homeowner, The Chimney Sweep and The Home Inspector. THE HOMEOWNER, THE CHIMNEY SWEEP AND THE HOME INSPECTOR You've recently moved into a new home. In the process of buying the home you hired a home inspector to check on the conditions of the major systems in the house. He or she checked the foundation, plumbing, heating and cooling. The report identified a few problems, nothing to do with the chimney and you were able to work these out with the seller. Now, you're looking forward to cozy evening with a fire in the fireplace or woodstove. You've called a reputable company to sweep the chimney. The chimney sweep comes down from the roof and says, "I have bad news." He or she then describes a problem that may cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to fix. You say, "I don’t understand. We hired a home inspector when we bought the house, and he didn't say anything about that." The chimney sweep may even chime in, 'Well, all the home inspector had to do to see it would have been to..." This frustrating scenario is an all-too-frequent occurrence. Why does it happen? Homeowners
(and chimney sweeps) often don't understand the scope of a home
inspection. Not all home inspectors make it clear to their customers
what their inspection entails. Nor do all homeowners or prospective
homeowners carefully read the home inspector's report. And of
course, the quality of home inspections varies with the knowledge
and conscience of the home inspector What is a home inspection? The
American Society of Home Inspectors says, 'ASHI professionals
perform a visual inspection and produce a written report of the
condition of residential properties for buyers or owners. The
purpose of such an examination is to describe observable major
defects which require repairs. The minimum scope of the inspection
and report are described by ASHI Standard of Practice available
at http://www.ashi.com/stand12.cfm There are several such trade
groups for home inspectors that publish standards of practice.
In some states, law regulates home inspectors and defines the
standards of practice. What do home inspectors look for around chimneys? The various standards of practice generally require home inspectors to inspect readily accessible areas that are exposed to view. Inspectors are not required to climb on top of chimneys or take off chimney caps. In fact ASHI Standard 9.3.D.1 specifically says, "The inspector is NOT required to observe the interior of flues." This sometimes comes as surprise to chimney sweeps and homeowners. In some situations it would seem very easy to look into the flue. (Where the deterioration or lack of a flue liner, for example, might be obvious.) Bob Priesing, a certified sweep in North Carolina who also holds a state home inspector's license says, "If the inspector conducted the inspection in accordance with standards of practice by which he or she operates, and if flues or chimney interiors are excluded by those standards, then the inspection was in fact complete." Many home inspectors will recommend in writing that the chimney be cleaned and inspected by a professional chimney sweep. "If the customer doesn't do that, they have no cause to complain about the home inspector," Priesing says. Some home inspectors are not well- versed in chimneys and venting systems. Relatively few home inspectors come into the business after working as chimney sweeps or venting contractors. Priesing is among a number of chimney sweeps across North America who give presentations to home inspector groups in an effort to help them understand what they are looking at when they observe chimneys, and to familiarize them with the capabilities of competent chimney sweeps. A Detailed Chimney Inspection Fully equipped modem chimney sweeps often carry video scanning equipment that can show the condition of the inside of your flues and directly pinpoint problems. A competent chimney professional will also be able to inform you of building codes and product listings that are applicable to your situation. When preparing to buy or sell a home with a combustion appliance, be it a furnace, fireplace or woodstove, it is advisable to obtain a detailed inspection of the chimney and venting systems. The standards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) also recommend that chimneys be inspected after any operating malfunction or external event likely to have caused damage to the chimney; upon replacement of appliances; and whenever verification of the suitability of the chimney for continued service is needed. Don't
get caught up in a game of who should have found what. Remember
that your family's safety is the first priority. If there are
problems with your chimney or venting system, get them taken care
of right away! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reprinted, with permission, from the July 2000 issue of SNEWS, The Chimney Sweep's Newsmagazine, an independent trade magazine for chimney service professionals, 3737 Pine Grove Road, Klamath Falls, OR 97603 USA; 541-882-5196. Jim Gillam, editorlpublisher. From
the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumer
Product Safety Commission The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 1998, clothes dryers were associated with 15,600 fires, which resulted in 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers. To help prevent fires: Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.
Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have
a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis
periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep
the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.
Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with
volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning
agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing
more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on
the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using
a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has
a cool-down period at the end of the cycle. To prevent clothes
from igniting after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in
the dryer or piled in a laundry basket.
Send the link for this page to a friend! Consumers can obtain this publication and additional publication information from the Publications section of CPSC's web site or by sending your publication request to info@cpsc.gov. This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in part or whole by an individual or organization without permission. If it is reproduced, however, the Commission would appreciate knowing how it is used. Write the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public Affairs, Washington, D.C. 20207 or send an e-mail to info@cpsc.gov. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send the link for this page to a friend! Consumers can obtain this publication and additional publication information from the Publications section of CPSC's web site or by sending your publication request to info@cpsc.gov. This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in part or whole by an individual or organization without permission. If it is reproduced, however, the Commission would appreciate knowing how it is used. Write the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public Affairs, Washington, D.C. 20207 or send an e-mail to info@cpsc.gov. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.
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