Channel 4, WYFF has better coverage, but no obvious way to embed their video.

Both news stories remind viewers that it is important to have your chimney regularly inspected by a professional.

Here are a few other points to be gleaned from this story.

Home inspectors do not inspect the chimney. If you buy a new home, do not assume that the fireplace is suitable for use. The home inspector may have mentioned a problem or two about the fireplace or chimney, but most home inspectors are not qualified to inspect fireplaces or chimneys. Good home inspectors will recommend a professional chimney inspection.

By looking at the video from WYFF, it is clear that this chimney had an improperly installed wood burning insert in the fireplace. This type of installation is called a “Slammer,” because the stove is slammed into the fireplace opening and considered ready for use. A fireplace chimney is not designed to vent a wood stove, and installing a stove in this manner is one of the most dangerous things that can be done to a fireplace.

From the design of the stove, it has likely been resident in the fireplace since the early 1980′s. The chimney has likely experienced several hostile flue fires during that time, causing the cracks in the chimney that are cited as the cause of the fire.

The fire chief points out that burning green or wet wood causes creosote buildup and recommends burning only dry wood. He is correct that dry wood will burn more completely than wet wood, but significant creosote accumulation can result from burning dry wood. There are a number of variables that determine creosote buildup, from flue temperature to the way the fire is built. Burning dry wood in a slammer insert will still result in a hazardous accumulation of creosote.

All of these problems would have been revealed with a simple Level 1 Chimney Inspection. A Level 2 inspection, which is recommended when a house changes ownership, would certainly have revealed cracks in the chimney and flue liner.

If your chimney has not been inspected recently, call your local CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to schedule an inspection.

If your in Upstate South Carolina, give us a call. We’ll go over your chimney system in detail and document everything with pictures. Using those pictures, we’ll take the time to explain your chimney system and any problems it may have. The peace of mind offered by a chimney inspection is worth far more than you’ll pay for it.

Modern EPA Certified wood burning appliances are designed to burn wood with minimal emissions. But it’s possible to burn wood cleanly and efficiently in a fireplace or a fire pit. Taking a little time to lay a top burn fire will result in a long burning fire that releases fewer emissions into the air.

To burn wood with minimal emissions, you must have a fire that burns hot enough to burn the gases created when gasifying the wood. There are a number of things you can do to make a fire that burns as completely as possible.

1. It is essential that the wood you use to build the fire be dry. Freshly cut wood can contain up to 50% moisture by weight. Properly cured firewood should contain no more than 20% moisture. If you put wet wood in your fire, the excess moisture must be boiled out of the wood before it can ignite. This robs your fire of heat and causes it to release more pollutants into the atmosphere.

3. Build the fire upside-down. To make a successful upside-down fire, you’ll need firewood in several different sizes. The largest, longest pieces of wood should be placed on the floor of the fireplace to form a base for the fire. Lay these logs side by side and as close together as you can get them. Lay another layer of wood on top of the base layer, at a right angle to the wood of the layer below. This wood should be smaller in diameter and shorter than the wood in the previous layer. Proceed upward with successively shorter and smaller pieces of wood for each layer. After three or four layers of firewood, place four to six layers of pencil sized kindling on top of your fire lay. Add a handful of cedar shavings or other fire starting material to the top and light the fire at the top.

A fire built in this manner will burn nearly all of its smoke, resulting in a dramatic decrease in neighborhood air pollutants. Because smoke is fuel that is typically unburned, burning it will give you a longer lasting fire. It is not unusual to have an upside-down fire burn for four or more hours before you have to add any wood to it.

For more information on building Upside-Down Fires, download the following documents for reference.

The Upside-Down Fire by Jay Hensley

Top Down Burn by Chris Prior

Among the myths that abound regarding chimneys is the notion that a masonry structure is waterproof. While it is true that bricks and mortar are sturdy and durable when properly put together, they are also susceptible to damage from water penetration.

Bricks and mortar readily absorb water, but release it more slowly. Over time, water washes away elements of the mortar, weakening it.  Mold, moss and other vegetation grows on damp brick and mortar, their tiny root systems tearing at the mortar joints. Water freezes and thaws inside the mortar joints and bricks, causing cracks to widen and brick surfaces to spall. Eventually crevices in the mortar are large enough to catch seeds carried by the wind or birds. The larger root systems of these plants damage the masonry structure more rapidly.

In Upstate South Carolina, water damage is visible on most masonry structures after only a few years. Chimneys are particularly susceptible to water damage as they are exposed to the wind and weather above the roof. Water damage is slow, but it will inevitably destroy your masonry chimney from the top down.

Proper construction and maintenance of masonry structures can prevent water damage. Regular chimney inspections can alert you to problems in your chimney system and give you time to correct them before they become serious and expensive problems.

Click on the image above to see how we correct the common chimney defects that lead to water damage.

It’s amazing how a chimney changes over time. Because chimneys typically are not built to resist water penetration, the structure is affected by water from the start. Bricks and mortar absorb water, creating a hospitable environment for mold and moss. These minuscule growths slowly tear apart masonry. They also slowly make the chimney look dull and dingy and downright ugly.

This mold growth is usually obvious on most chimneys by the time they are 20 to 30 years old. Significant water damage is visible by 50 to 60 years old, and if your chimney is approaching 100 years, it probably needs significant work.

We recently addressed water penetration problems on a chimney that’s approximately 30 years old. Water was beginning to rust the wood stove insert in the fireplace, so we wanted to stop the water penetration before it caused more damage. We pressure washed the chimney to remove the mold before applying ChimneySaver Water Repellent. Click on the picture and look at the gallery. The transformation is pretty amazing.

If your chimney is looking ugly, give us a call. We can make it look pretty again.

Manufactured fireplaces are very common in newer homes. These fireplaces are inexpensive and fairly easy to install, so are a favorite with builders looking to cut costs.

A manufactured fireplace vents through a metal chimney. This chimney is unsightly sticking out of a roof, so it is usually shrouded by a chase of some sort. The chase is typically constructed of wood, with siding or brick veneer. The top of the chase is covered with a metal pan, called the chase cover.

As with masonry chimneys, most manufactured chimneys are terminated poorly. Builders typically use the cheapest possible materials that are installed in a sloppy manner. As a result, chase covers fail and allow water to reach the interior of the chase and the top of the fireplace. Once the chase cover fails, the fireplace and chase will fall apart quickly, necessitating expensive replacements.

If the chase cover is not properly sized, it may allow water penetration of the siding, causing the chase exterior to deteriorate. Replacing chase covers with a properly sized, properly installed, quality chase cover is a good investment.

Believe it or not, most chimneys are not built properly. Some may say that that’s just my opinion, but my opinions are based on published standards from the National Fire Protection Association, the International Code Council, and the Brick Industry Association.

Of all the common defects we see in chimneys, improper termination is the one that will most assuredly damage the chimney structure over time. Masonry structures are susceptible to damage from water penetration. The chimney in particular is not protected from water by the roof. The chimney stands above the roof, exposed to the ravages of the weather from all sides.

If the chimney is not built properly to withstand the forces of nature pitted against it, it will deteriorate quickly. Early correction of water penetration problems can greatly extend the life of the chimney structure.

We just finished correcting some of these typical defects today. Click the picture to see the process for terminating a chimney properly.

The final day wasn’t really a whole day’s worth of work.

We removed the crown forms and finished the crown. This involved smoothing the edges of the concrete and cutting down the foam that’s wrapped around the flue tiles. The concrete was coated with an acrylic sealant to hold in moisture and allow the concrete to cure properly. The expansion joints around the flue tiles were sealed with silicone to prevent water penetration.

Stainless steel chimney caps were installed. The furnace flue was capped with a Whitecaps 9×13 clamp cap, and the fireplace flue was covered by a top sealing IceBreaker damper from RMR. The IceBreaker damper allows the flue to be closed to limit energy loss. Putting the damper at the top of the flue avoids any obstructions in the flue and allows for a smooth, streamlined, seamless conduit from the lintel of the fireplace to the top of the chimney.

The damper is controlled by a stainless steel cable that runs through the flue. It attaches to a bracket in the firebox. After the bracket was attached, we vacuumed out the firebox and replaced the ash dump door and the glass doors. The fireplace now appears to be no different than when we started, but its venting system is much more efficient and worry-free.

The Supaflu had hardened overnight, so it was time for the finishing touches. The tube was deflated and removed from the flue, revealing the new Supaflu liner.

The smoke chamber needed some smoothing, and after some quality time with wood chisels and rasps, it looks pretty good.

After the smoke chamber was finished up, we poured a concrete crown at the top of the chimney, filled in some open mortar joints on the chimney exterior, and applied ChimneySaver Water Repellent.

It’s been a very warm week in the mountains of Western North Carolina with temperatures in the high 90s and the Heat Index around 107°. This kind of weather is really fun to work in, and it also breeds thunderstorms in the afternoon. With thunder rumbling in the distance, we covered the chimney with a tarp to protect the fresh concrete on top of it.

Supaflu is a lightweight, insulating concrete material that is designed for relining chimneys. It is listed to UL 1777, the standard for chimney lining systems.

Today, we filled the chimney with this lining material.

To prepare the chimney for the pour, a plywood form was placed at the lintel of the fireplace and supported by floor jacks. The top of the form was covered with plastic sheeting so the mix wouldn’t stick to it.

An inflatable tube was lowered down the chimney and pulled through a hole in the bottom form. This tube was then inflated until it reached the proper size. Today we used an 11″ tube.

Supaflu lining material was pumped into the chimney, filling all open areas. A vibrator was attached to the tube to help the Supaflu flow around it and completely fill the chimney cavity.

The bottom form was removed 3 to 4 hours after the first mix was poured. A smoke chamber was carved while the mix was still relatively soft.

The tube will remain in place overnight, allowing the Supaflu to harden. Tomorrow we’ll pull the tube out and begin the finishing touches to this chimney renovation.

Today we began renovating a fireplace chimney. This will be a fairly complete chimney renovation including waterproofing and a cast in place Supaflu chimney liner. The purpose of the renovation is to prevent further water damage and improve the functioning of the fireplace chimney.

The smoke chamber of the fireplace is poorly constructed, with pockets to either side of the flue tile that create turbulence in the flow of flue gases. The flue tiles are not properly supported, and begin just above the damper plate. It is only because the flue tile is oversized that the fireplace is able to function at all.

An oversized flue will remove large amounts of heated air from the house when the fireplace is used, creating a significant waste of energy. Even with a properly sized flue, a typical open fireplace is not very efficient. By reducing the flue size of this chimney and streamlining its smoke chamber, the fireplace should perform better and remove less energy from the house.

We’ll be completely restructuring the top of the chimney to replace a damaged mortar wash with a concrete crown. We’ll fill a few open mortar joints with mortar repair caulk and treat the chimney exterior with ChimneySaver Water Repellent.

Today we began with demolition. Click on the picture to see what we did.