Fireplace Safety - Customer Reference
Why this reference exists
Most fireplace + chimney fires are preventable. Customers who understand what NOT to burn + how to operate the fireplace generate fewer emergency calls + their chimneys last longer between expensive interventions. This is the leave-behind document for every sweep visit. Reuse it as a portal article + an email follow-up.
What you can burn
Best: well-seasoned hardwoods - oak, maple, hickory, ash, beech. Moisture content below 20%. Split + stacked off the ground for 12-18 months. Sounds hollow when knocked together.
OK: well-seasoned softwoods - pine, fir, cedar. Burn fast + hot but produce more creosote than hardwood. Use for kindling + cold-start, not the main load.
Manufactured fire logs (Duraflame, Pine Mountain): one log at a time only. Do NOT burn multiple together - concentrated heat can crack firebrick + the flue. Approved-brand logs leave more glaze (Stage 3 creosote) than cordwood; expect more frequent + more expensive sweeps.
What NEVER to burn
- Wet or green wood (more creosote, less heat)
- Pressure-treated wood (arsenic + chromium fumes - poisonous)
- Painted or stained wood (lead, VOCs)
- Plywood / OSB / particleboard (formaldehyde + glue fumes)
- Christmas trees (resin flares dangerously)
- Cardboard or wrapping paper (flies up the flue, fire risk on the roof)
- Trash, plastics, foam (toxic + creosote-forming)
- Driftwood (salt corrodes the liner)
- Charcoal briquettes (high CO + not designed for flue draft)
Operating rules
Before the first fire of the season: schedule a sweep + inspection. Annual minimum per NFPA 211.
Before lighting:
- Open the damper fully
- Check for downdraft (hold a hand at the throat - should feel air moving up, or at least neutral)
- If downdraft, warm the flue with a rolled-newspaper torch held at the damper for 30-60 seconds
- Move flammables 36" from the firebox opening
Starting the fire:
- Build small with newspaper + kindling at the back
- Add splits as it catches
- Avoid lighter fluid + gasoline (NEVER)
- Cap loads at 2-3 splits at a time
During the fire:
- Don't leave unattended once flames are large
- Keep glass doors open during active flame (creates draft, prevents soot on glass)
- Kids + pets behind a screen at 36"+ distance
Ending the fire:
- Let it burn to coals naturally
- Don't dump water (cracks firebox + soaks creosote into liner)
- Spread coals to cool
- Close damper only after firebox is COLD (next morning) - closing early can trap CO
Ash management
- Wait 24 hours after last fire before removing ash
- Use a metal ash bucket with metal lid (NEVER plastic, paper, cardboard)
- Carry outside immediately + set on bare ground or concrete, 10+ ft from any structure
- Leave for 4-7 days before final disposal (live coals hide in ash for DAYS)
- House fires from "cold" ash in plastic trash cans on a deck or in a garage are a top-3 wood-stove fire cause
Smoke alarms + CO detectors
- Smoke alarms on every level + in each bedroom (NFPA 72)
- CO detector within 15 ft of every sleeping area
- Battery test monthly, replace battery annually, replace alarm every 10 years
- After any chimney work, run a fire while CO detector + smoke alarms are active
Glass doors + screens
- Always operate with the screen closed
- Glass doors closed only when fire is at coals (not active flame)
- Tempered glass only; replace any cracked glass immediately
- Wipe glass with damp cloth + ash (mild abrasive) when cool
Inserts + wood stoves
- Same fuel rules
- Catalytic combustor: replace every 6-10 years per manufacturer
- Don't burn at the lowest setting all the time (causes glaze)
- Annual inspection + sweep required
Gas fireplace operation
- If you smell gas: shut off + ventilate; call gas company
- Pilot light out: relight per manufacturer instructions or call a tech
- Glass front WILL get hot enough to cause 3rd-degree burns in 6 seconds - keep kids + pets away
- Annual inspection + cleaning by a qualified tech (NFI Gas certification preferred)
- Replace embers + logs per manufacturer; never substitute
Warning signs - call a sweep
- Smoke coming into the room
- Strong creosote smell when not burning
- Visible cracks in firebrick
- Damper hard to operate or stuck
- White stains on outside masonry (efflorescence = water intrusion)
- Mortar falling into firebox
- Smell or stains on ceilings/walls near the chimney chase
- Any animal sounds in the chimney
- After any earthquake or chimney impact (e.g., fallen tree branch)
Storm + emergency
- Lightning strike near chimney: stop using; schedule structural inspection
- Chimney fire (roaring sound + flames at the top): evacuate, call 911, do NOT throw water; close doors + damper to starve oxygen
- Heavy snow on roof: don't shovel from chimney top (collapse risk); call a roofer
Sweep + inspection schedule
| Use level | Sweep | Inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Light decorative | Every 2-3 years | Annually |
| Moderate (20-40 fires/yr) | Annually | Annually |
| Primary heat source | Annually + mid-season check | Annually |
| Pellet stove | Annually | Annually |
| Gas log | Every 2-3 years | Annually |
Insurance
Some homeowner policies require annual chimney inspections. Documented sweep + inspection reports protect against claim denial after a chimney fire or smoke damage event. Keep records 7+ years.
Manufactured logs (Duraflame, Pine Mountain) and similar create glazed creosote 3-5x faster than cordwood. Customers who burn only manufactured logs need a sweep every year, even with light use, because the glaze hardens into Stage 3 + requires PCR removal at extra above standard sweep. Tell customers up front so they plan for it.
References
- NFPA 211 Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents
- NFPA 72 (smoke + CO alarms)
- CSIA Homeowner Resources
- USFA fire incidence data
- Manuall internal: Chimney Sweep Service SOP, Annual Chimney Inspection SOP