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4.5
CHIMNEY (FLUE) CLEANING
Regular chimney (flue) maintenance, as well as good burning practices, are required to prevent chimney fires.
When wood (especially green wood) is burned without adequate heat or air supply, it produces tar and other
organic vapours (
smoke
), which combine with expelled moisture to form creosote. The creosote vapours
condense in the relatively cool chimney of a slow-burning fire. As a result, creosote residues accumulate on
the chimney. When ignited, this creosote makes an extremely hot fire which could be hazardous. Your Drolet
stove has been designed to reduce the amount of creosote produced. Even so, the chimney and any chimney
connector should be inspected at least once every two months during the heating season to determine if a
creosote build-up has occurred. If creosote has accumulated, it should be removed to reduce the risk of a
chimney fire. Call a professional chimney sweep, or go to your local Drolet dealer, purchase a chimney brush,
and have the chimney cleaned.
Contact your local, municipal, state, or provincial fire authority for information on how to handle a chimney
fire before there is any chance that it may happen.
