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W415-0872 / B / 12.02.10
7.3 RUNAWAY OR CHIMNEY FIRE
7.4 CHIMNEY
CLEANING
85.2
A CHIMNEY FIRE CAN PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR CHIMNEY SYSTEM. THIS DAMAGE CAN
ONLY BE REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE DAMAGED COMPONENT PARTS. CHIMNEY FIRES ARE
NOT COVERED BY THE LIFETIME LIMITED WARRANTY.
CAUSES:
•
Using incorrect fuel, or small fuel pieces which would normally be used as kindling.
•
Leaving the door ajar too long and creating extreme temperatures as the air rushes in the open door.
•
Improperly installed or worn gaskets.
•
Creosote build up in chimney.
SOLUTIONS:
•
Do not burn treated or processed wood, coal, charcoal, coloured paper or cardboard.
•
Be careful not to overfi re the appliance by leaving the door open too long after the initial start-up. A
thermometer on the chimney connector and/or appliance top helps.
•
Replace worn, dried out (infl exible) gaskets.
•
Have chimney regularly cleaned.
IN CASE OF A CHIMNEY FIRE:
•
Have a well understood plan for evacuation and a place outside for everyone to meet. Prepare to
evacuate to ensure everyone’s safety.
•
Close air control on appliance.
• Call
local
fi re department. Have a fi re extinguisher handy. Contact local authorities for further informa-
tion on how to handle a chimney fi re.
•
After the chimney fi re is out, clean and inspect the chimney or chimney liner for stress and cracks prior
to lighting another fi re. Also check combustibles around the chimney and the roof.
86.1
Both the chimney and the appliance must be inspected and cleaned if necessary at least once a year.
For serious wood burners, chimney cleaning must be done as needed to avoid chimney fi res; the venting
systems for controlled combustion appliances may need cleaning as often as once a month. These rates,
however, depend on the burning habits of the individual operating the appliance. For example, it is possible to
clog a solid fuel appliance chimney in a few days if slow, smoldering fi res are burned and the chimney is cold.
NOTE: Appliances burned consistently without hot fi res may result in signifi cant creosote
accumulations in the chimney.
Certain items and considerations are important in chimney cleaning:
•
Proper tools should be used, including a brush specifi cally designed for chimney cleaning.
•
The chimney connector and dampers as well as the chimney should be cleaned.
• The
appliance’s
fi rebox and baffl e system should be cleaned if needed.
•
The chimney should be inspected and repairs made if needed, preferably by a qualifi ed chimney
sweep or mason.
