If you have a fireplace, you’ve probably heard about chimney fires. But like most homeowners, you might assume it’s something that happens to other people. The house down the street. Someone who didn’t take care of their chimney. Chimney fires are more common than you think. And many happen without the homeowner even realizing it until long after the damage is done.

Understanding what a chimney fire looks and sounds like, and the hidden signs it leaves behind, could save your home and your family.

The Obvious Chimney Fire

Some chimney fires are impossible to miss. These are the dramatic ones that often get reported on the evening news. Here’s what a chimney fire can look and sound like when it’s active:

• A loud, roaring sound: It can resemble a freight train or a jet engine. In some cases, the noise is so loud it’s mistaken for thunder or a helicopter overhead.
• Dense, black smoke: Thick, dark smoke may pour from the top of the chimney. Sometimes it’s accompanied by sparks or flames shooting from the chimney crown.
• Intense heat: The chimney exterior and even the surrounding walls can become extremely hot to the touch.
• Visible flames: In severe cases, flames can shoot several feet above the chimney or even be visible through cracks in the masonry.

If you ever see or hear these signs in your home, get everyone outside immediately and call 911. Do not try to put out the fire yourself. Do not attempt to use water on a chimney fire; it can cause a steam explosion and damage the structure.

The Hidden Chimney Fire

Many chimney fires aren’t obvious at all.

Sometimes they burn slowly and quietly inside the chimney flue. They might last for just a few seconds or smolder for hours. The fire may burn itself out before you even notice anything wrong. But the damage is already done.

How can you tell if you’ve had a hidden chimney fire? The evidence is usually visible during an inspection.

Signs a Chimney Fire Has Already Happened

If you’ve had even a small chimney fire, it leaves distinct marks. Professional chimney sweeps like our team at Advanced Chimney Sweeps look for these telltale signs:

• Cracked or missing flue tiles: The intense heat from a fire can cause the clay or ceramic tiles inside your chimney to crack, spall, or collapse entirely. Sometimes the tiles are simply displaced or separated.
• Discolored or warped metal: If you have a metal chimney, the high heat from a fire can cause the metal to discolor, warp, or even melt.
• Damaged masonry: The mortar joints between the bricks can crumble under extreme heat. You may also notice spalling bricks, where the surface of the brick is flaking or popping off.
• Creosote that looks different: After a fire, the remaining creosote often develops a puffy, honeycomb-like appearance. This is a clear indicator that a fire occurred inside the flue.
• Heat-damaged roofing: Sometimes the heat from a chimney fire can cause shingles or roofing material near the chimney to curl, discolor, or melt.

What Causes Chimney Fires?

We talked about creosote in a previous post, but it’s worth repeating: creosote buildup is the number one cause of chimney fires. This flammable, tar-like substance accumulates inside your flue every time you burn wood. The more you use your fireplace, the more creosote builds up.

When a hot fire burns and the flue is coated in creosote, the temperature inside the chimney can ignite those deposits. The result is a fire inside your chimney.

Other contributors include using unseasoned wood, burning cardboard or wrapping paper, and using a fireplace with restricted airflow.

Chimney Fires Are Preventable

Chimney fires are almost entirely preventable. A simple annual inspection and cleaning remove the creosote that fuels these fires. It’s that straightforward.

At Advanced Chimney Sweeps, we’ve been serving North Atlanta since 1989. We’ve seen the damage chimney fires can cause, and we’ve also seen how easily they could have been avoided. Our certified technicians inspect your entire system, from the firebox to the flue to the chimney crown. We remove creosote buildup, check for structural issues, and give you honest recommendations.

Don’t Wait for a Fire

If you haven’t had your chimney inspected in the last year, now is the time. Spring and summer are ideal seasons to schedule your cleaning. You’ll beat the autumn rush, and you’ll have the peace of mind knowing your chimney is safe and ready for next winter.

Call Advanced Chimney Sweeps today at 770.884.6475. We proudly serve Marietta, Roswell, Alpharetta, Woodstock, Cumming, and all of North Atlanta.