Allowing a coal stove to burn too hot can lead to a chimney fire, particularly if there is creosote buildup in your chimney. Although the majority of chimney fires simply burn up the creosote and then go out, there is a risk that a chimney fire will ignite rafters or other parts of your house.
Does burning coal create creosote?
Cleaning chimneys and stoves is important, and it adds to the cost of burning wood. Coal, in contrast, generates no creosote.
Are coal burning stoves safe?
Safety Concerns with Coal Stoves. Most of the safety concerns associated with coal stoves are the same as those associated with any type of fire. If you install a stove in your home, you should have both a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke detector nearby.
What causes creosote to build up in chimney?
Creosote buildup increases when the air supply is restricted in the chimney, unseasoned wood is used to make a fire, and when the chimney temperature is cooler than normal. Too much creosote buildup can cause chimney fires and these low burning fires can go undetected until they spread.
How long does it take for creosote to build up in chimney?
It typically takes between six months and one year for cut wood to get to a low moisture content. Do not burn artificial packaged logs in your fireplace or your woodstove, since they leave a large amount of creosote deposits. Burn hot fires that have plenty of air.
Can you have a chimney fire with coal?
Both wood and coal are solid fuels, so a “coal fireplace” could burn wood as well as it can burn coal. CAN I BURN WOOD IN MY COAL FIREPLACE? The short answer really is to call a chimney sweep to clean and inspect your fireplace.
Can you have a chimney fire burning coal?
Yes it does. I did this for many years. It will clean the chimney out quite nicely, if you burn it long enough. I used to have a terrible problem with creosote in my chimney for some reason so I would burn coal for a few weeks then switch over to wood for a week or two.
Is it better to burn wood or coal?
Coal burns best on a raised grate since it needs an air supply from below to burn effectively. Wood doesn’t need this additional air supply, so when you’re using wood on a multi-fuel stove you might find that it burns faster than on a wood-burning stove because of the extra oxygen around it.
Do coal stoves give off carbon monoxide?
Heating #1 Cause of CO in Homes
Heating is the #1 cause of carbon monoxide in the home and as people start to turn on their heat for the season or to use wood, pellet or coal stoves, a malfunction causing carbon monoxide is more likely.
What is the difference between a wood-burning stove and a coal burning stove?
Generally wood stoves take air from above and coal would take air from below. Wood needs to burn on a bed of ash taking its heat from the ash and air from above and coal needs to have nothing below (requiring a grate or riddler to remove the embers) as it burns from air below.
Will a hot fire get rid of creosote?
Avoid Smoldering. Many homeowners allow their fire to smolder until it burns itself out. As the fire begins to burn out more creosote is produced at the lower temperatures. Rather than allowing the fire to smolder, it should be extinguished.
How do you test a chimney for creosote?
Put your hand in the fireplace and see that air is going up and not down. If there is a downdraft open a window or door to change the pressure in the home. Use your fireplace poker. Scratch the smoke chamber above your damper to see if there is any creosote.
What puts out a chimney fire?
Spray short bursts into the firebox so that you don’t throw embers into the air. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher on hand, use sand, salt (any salt will work, including standard table salt and rock salt), or baking soda, which will deprive the flames of oxygen.
Will a chimney fire burn itself out?
It is not safe to assume that a chimney fire will burn itself out. Though it is possible that it will eventually burn off and end, it is much better to call 9-1-1 if you have a chimney fire. A chimney fire can potentially spread to other parts of your home and risk the lives of the people inside.
How likely is a chimney fire?
There are over 25,000 reported chimney fires a year in the U.S. While some sound like a low-flying jet and include flames shooting out the top of the chimney, others are slow-burning and go undetected until a chimney inspection uncovers damage. Chimney fires are dangerous, but they are preventable.
What to do if you have a chimney fire in a wood stove?
If you see or hear any of these things, get out of your house immediately and call 911! Wood stoves and other appliances that have pipe chimneys can experience chimney fires, too. If you can see heavy smoke, light, or flames coming out of the cracks between the sections of chimney pipe, call 911!
Can a chimney fire damage the chimney?
The effect of this is that heat is radiated through walls and any sparks could ignite flammable materials, such as wooden beams that may be nearby. Even if you can’t see any damage to the chimney breast, it is highly likely that damage will have occurred inside the chimney following a chimney fire.
What dissolves creosote?
Creosote is moderately soluble in water. Spraying water onto the creosote will help to remove the liquid. However, creosote is a type of oil that is never removed fully by water. Bleach and industrial cleaners will help to pull the creosote out of clothes and off of skin or other surfaces.
Does a chimney fire clean the chimney?
Because each chimney fire is unique, there is no one size fits all solutions as to what repairs are needed after a chimney fire. For homes that have had minor chimney fires, repairs might be limited to removing any remaining creosote and the need to replace a few flue tiles.
How much is too much creosote?
“Creosote build-up, by itself or in combination with other factors, was involved in 92% of chimney fires reported in a study commissioned by the Wood Heating Alliance. A build-up of as little as 1/8 to 1/4 inch of creosote is sufficient to create a fire hazard.”
What kind of wood should not be burned in a fireplace?
Watch out for any wood covered with vines. Burning poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, or pretty much anything else with “poison” in the name releases the irritant oil urushiol into the smoke. Breathing it in can cause lung irritation and severe allergic respiratory problems, the Centers for Disease Control state.
