Before You Light That Fire -- Make Sure Your Fireplace Is Safe

      Wintertime is here, or at least, about as much winter as we get here in sunny Southern California. Nevertheless, for many of us, there is nothing more enjoyable this time of year than curling up in front of a nice big fire on a cold and blustery night. As with anything relating to fire, though, safety should be a major consideration. So before you light that fire for the first time this year, make sure that the fireplace and flue are safe and ready to go for the season. This is true whether the fireplace is a traditional wood-burning fireplace or a modern gas-burning fireplace.
      The first concern is simply to check the mechanics of the fireplace itself. The flue should work properly and, of course, no smoke should be entering the room when a fire is burning in the fireplace. Second, make sure that your fireplace is cleaned on a regular basis by a professional chimney sweep. The buildup of soot in the chimney can eventually become a fire hazard. Both wood and gas fireplaces can create soot, so even if you have a gas fireplace, cleaning must still be done over the life of your fireplace. How often your chimney should be cleaned depends on how often you use your fireplace, what type of fireplace it is, and how old your home is. Thus, you should check with a professional to see how often your fireplace and chimney should be cleaned. Also, newer homes or fireplaces should come with cleaning instructions and warranties so be sure to check those.
      For those of you who have new or newer homes, there are some special concerns regarding fireplace and chimney safety. Many new homes come with pre-fabricated fireplaces and flues. Altogether these components are known as your "fireplace system." Unlike the old days when a fireplace system was custom-built onsite to conform to a specific home, today, in the age of mass-produced homes and "tract homes," a fireplace and flue are, usually, pre-fabricated in a factory. They are then taken apart, shipped, and reassembled at the homesite. Pre-fabrication helps to reduce the overall cost of the fireplace system, but because tract homes are built so quickly, problems sometimes occur if the fireplace is assembled too quickly and without regard to some basic safety considerations.
      One set of problems occurs with the flues in newer homes. The flue is the metal pipe inside the chimney that carries the smoke and heat up and out of the fireplace. The flue itself can get very hot so it is important that it is built so that it does not touch wood framing members or other combustible materials. Furthermore, according to Stan Livingston, an architect with Building Analysts, it is also important that the penetration is sealed with fireproof cement where the flue penetrates through a floor. This creates a "fire-stop." A "fire-stop" is simply any vertical or horizontal barrier inside a floor or wall which, if a fire were to occur, would stop the fire from spreading inside that wall or floor.
      The flue is usually assembled in pieces at the site. If the pieces are not fitted properly together and sealed with fireproof cement, small gaps can occur between the metal pieces. Sometimes the flue is properly assembled by the contractor who installed it, but another contractor who came along later to do other work on the house (like the plumber or electrician) may have readjusted something near the flue and created gaps or crimps in the metal. According to Mr. Livingston, the result of these gaps is that, "Embers may escape into framed areas and smoke may enter living spaces." So if you smell smoke in the upstairs of your home while the downstairs fireplace is in use, this could be the problem. Of course, this is something that a professional contractor should check before the fireplace gets used again
      Another area that a homeowner should check is at the chimney and flue termination on the roof. Chimneys should be fitted with adequate spark arresters. Spark arresters are metal screens covering the tops of the flues that keep sparks and embers from flying out (and landing on your neighbor's home!). Furthermore, Mr. Livingston notes that according to the building code, the level of the flue outlet should be at least three feet above the surrounding roof.
      A few minutes of inspection can go a long way to preventing a dangerous situation. So if you want to make sure that your fire stays in the fireplace, and not elsewhere in your home, a quick inspection is in order before you light that first big chunk of wood.

Disclaimer- These materials prepared by Shinnick & Ryan LLP are for informational purposes only and are not legal advice. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Online readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel.  [Full Disclaimer]

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