What is Creosote and What Should You Do About It?
There are many benefits to owning a home with a fireplace. Heating your home with a wood fire can not only keep you and your family warm and toasty in those cold winter months, it can save you money on energy bills. To keep your fireplace running smoothly, it is important to schedule regular inspections and maintenance to make sure your chimney is free of obstructions and a buildup of creosote.
What Exactly is Creosote?
Creosote is a tar-like chemical compound that is a by-product of wood combustion. When you burn wood in your fireplace, smoke travels up your chimney and when it reaches the cooler air towards the top, it solidifies and sticks to the chimney liner. Left unchecked, the highly flammable creosote can build up and harden over time, creating blockages, and may release toxic chemicals into your home. A stray spark or high temperature in your chimney can ignite it causing a serious fire and damage to your chimney and home. Unfortunately, creosote accumulation cannot be prevented as it is a natural by-product of burning wood. When burning wood in your fireplace, be sure to use properly cured and treated firewood to minimize creosote production. Wood that contains a lot of moisture will create excess smoke and lead to more creosote. Be sure to avoid high-resin wood such as fir, spruce, and pine.
The only true way to stay on top of creosote buildup in your chimney is to schedule regular maintenance and chimney sweepings with a licensed professional. Both the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend having your chimney inspected and cleaned annually to prevent hazardous buildup and obstruction.
Why You Should Have Your Chimney Cleaned Now
Creosote will harden over time and becomes increasingly difficult and costly to remove. Excessive buildup that has been neglected is not only a fire hazard, it can be extremely difficult to remove. Creosote that has been left to harden and accumulate is not only challenging to remove, it is a combustable fuel which for obvious reasons, you don’t want in your chimney. Creosote fueled fires can burn at upwards of 2000 degrees and can cause cracks in your chimney liner and masonry.
As you can see, it is very important to stay on top of your chimney health to keep it functioning properly and your home safe. Call a licensed professional to come inspect your fireplace, so you can relax and enjoy all the coziness and warmth your fireplace brings until next spring.
Located right here in North Carolina, our Asheville technicians provide the best in chimney repair, fireplace installation, and care in the Western NC area. When it comes to your chimney, fireplace and vents, we hope you’ll call Asheville Chimney Repair. Contact us to schedule an inspection today!