CHIMNEY FIRES

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As soon as you suspect you've got a chimney fire, close the stove door and draft control; if the heater is reasonably airtight, suffocation will subdue a chimney fire in its early stages. Next, alert everyone in the house so they'll be prepared to leave if necessary. Then step outside and determine if any sparks are coming out the top of the chimney. These may ignite roofing materials or other nearby combustibles. A shower of sparks should send you straight for the telephone to call the fire department. In fact, the best course of action is to call firefighters as soon as you've closed the stove door and dampers and alerted your family. By the time you decide that you really need the pros, it may be too late.

Closing the damper may only reduce the intensity of a chimney fire. A blaze in a heavy creosote deposit can smolder for hours, despite having its oxygen supply cut off. Open the draft control to resume normal heating, and your jetport will be open again for takeoff.

EARLY WARNING

Chimney fire alarms incorporate a flue-temperature sensor that activates a visible or audible alarm at a certain set point. Units with internal sensors can warn of the start of a chimney fire long before it reaches the stage where it gives other outward signs, and even external sensors may give several minutes of warning. Potentially, then, a chimney fire alarm can be a very important saftey accessory for wood burners.

If you'd like to experiment with a do-it-yourself alarm, see "MOTHER's Flue Alarm" in issue 73. This inexpensive project uses an external sensor that, while less sensitive to the onset of a chimney fire, is also less prone to sound a false alarm.

To put a chimney fire out for good, you may need a fire extinguisher. There are two effective types: dry-chemical pressurized canisters and chimney fire extinguishers, which resemble highway flares. The standard household dry-chemical canister requires that you hold the stove door open while applying the chemical above the fire — a possible disadvantage. The flares simply require you to light one, toss it in and close the door. Other remedies, such as salt and baking soda, may be effective but are unproven. In any event, never try to put out a chimney fire by dousing the fire in the stove with water. You'll be likely to crack the castings or pop a weld, which could be disastrous.

Dry-chemical extinguishers are available at just about any hardware store, but you might have to visit a woodstove dealer to find the specialized chimney extinguisher. It's a good idea to have both, keep them where they're readily accessible, and make sure that all the adults in the household know how to use them.

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