There a four reasons for chimney fires – infrequent sweeping and cleaning, burning unseasoned and wet wood, overnight burning or smouldering of wood for long periods in stoves, and improper appliance sizing.
To reduce the risk you should
- Have your chimney/flue swept on a regular basis – see Oakbrook’s Blog on “Open fires and stoves” for a cleaning regime as recommended by the Derbyshire Fire Authority
- Choose the correct size appliance – Oakbrook’s Certified Engineers can advise and install
- Make sure wood fuel has a low moisture content of less than 17%
- Not overload a stove or grate – have smaller fires that burn completely and produce less smoke
- Regularly have hot fires – once a day to dry out any tar built up in the chimney
- Never burn cardboard or waste paper
- Never use petrol or paraffin on a fire
- Store fuel away from an open fire or stove
All property owners have a responsibility to maintain flues and chimneys on their property. Evidence of a regularly maintained chimney by a certified chimney engineer will support any insurance claim in the event of chimney incidents.
Oakbrook Chimney Services will provide a certificate of cleansing following each visit.
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