Possible chimney fire

[Sprinter]

I usually only have to start a fire a few times a year.

If your flue generally stays hot 24/7 then even if you have conditions that may cause a downdraft, you wouldn't know it because it's pretty hard to overcome the up draft of a hot flue. Makes it a little harder to figure out what happened, but you may want to consider a few other things that affect draft.

What is your total flue length?

 

[ohiojoe13]

If your flue generally stays hot 24/7 then even if you have conditions that may cause a downdraft, you wouldn't know it because it's pretty hard to overcome the up draft of a hot flue. Makes it a little harder to figure out what happened, but you may want to consider a few other things that affect draft.

What is your total flue length?

I'm right at 15 feet.

 

[Squisher]

You definetly want a thermometer. There are plenty of holes in the system already. One more for a thermometer not only isn't going to hurt, it's one of the single most useful items there are for safety and efficiency.

 

[lsucet]

I'm right at 15 feet.

Well, you just right there at the recommended flue length. I have similar/same setup with two 45s, one ft between the two 45s and my total high including the cap is almost +/- 19 ft. Maybe is something to consider for improvement in draft. 15 ft is minimum and if straight up, plus location and all that can affect. I will recommend to add at least 2 ft if you can.

 

[ohiojoe13]

Well, you just right there at the recommended flue length. I have similar/same setup with two 45s, one ft between the two 45s and my total high including the cap is almost +/- 19 ft. Maybe is something to consider for improvement in draft. 15 ft is minimum and if straight up, plus location and all that can affect. I will recommend to add at least 2 ft if you can.

I do have a 3 foot section of chimney that I can add. It just already looks ridiculous with the 8 feet sticking up out of the roof. This is the first time this has ever happened so i dont know if it's draft related or the super windy conditions were to blame.

 

[lsucet]

I do have a 3 foot section of chimney that I can add. It just already looks ridiculous with the 8 feet sticking up out of the roof. This is the first time this has ever happened so i dont know if it's draft related or the super windy conditions were to blame.

I understand.lol I have like 12 ft over the roof.lol but it works good.

 

[ohiojoe13]

I understand.lol I have like 12 ft over the roof.lol but it works good.

Is it bad that I checked out the truck before I even noticed the chimney?
I would like to add my extra 3 feet I have but bit finding someone to do it has been hard. Also I would need another brace.

 

[Woody Stover]

I don't share the idea of opening the door. I think is better shut down everything

yes you are absolutely correct opening the door works well for an out of control stove but is absolutely the wrong thing to do in the case of a chimney fire.

Yeah, don't open the door and give a chimney fire more oxygen!

in my case I was able to hear the roaring sound of the fire around a couple of feet of the flue, making the flue probe climb to 900 in seconds. I was also doing a top down fire.

I start cutting the air a bit as the top-down gets burning, otherwise flames will get sucked up the flue and overheat the pipe in a hurry.

sounds like maybe your cold chimney hadn't established a good draft and the wind briefly reversed it.

I have the same thing happen when the dryer is on with a cold stove if I do not open the back door a little. Its just a reverse draft. I use a small torch to light my fires now to help heat the flue up a bit and get the fire going faster.

It was 75 on Friday then about 36 Saturday when I started the fire and very windy.

OK, I thought maybe it was too warm out and draft was weak, but Joe says 36* so I suspect maybe the wind had something to do with poor draft. Joe, is the top of the chimney below the top of the roof? Is it possible that the wind was roaring over the roof ridge, then swooping back down, creating downward pressure on the top of the chimney? Or maybe the same effect caused by taller trees near the house?

I'm right at 15 feet.

I have similar/same setup with two 45s, one ft between the two 45s and my total high including the cap is almost +/- 19 ft. Maybe is something to consider for improvement in draft. 15 ft is minimum and if straight up, plus location and all that can affect. I will recommend to add at least 2 ft if you can.

It might have the added benefit of raising the top of the chimney above the roof line, if the wind was causing downward pressure on the chimney.

I do have a 3 foot section of chimney that I can add. It just already looks ridiculous with the 8 feet sticking up out of the roof.

lol I have like 12 ft over the roof.lol but it works

3......2......1......we have lift-off!

Eyesocket, what's with the trees?? I didn't think there were any in NM....is the river right behind your house?

 

[lsucet]

Eyesocket, what's with the trees?? I didn't think there were any in NM....is the river right behind your house?

In the land we have a river plus irrigation. lot of water

 

[lsucet]

Is it bad that I checked out the truck before I even noticed the chimney?
I would like to add my extra 3 feet I have but bit finding someone to do it has been hard. Also I would need another brace.

lol. I have to install another brace and i have it, I just need to make some time and do it cause here the wind can get nasty sometimes

 

[Woody Stover]

In the land we have a river plus irrigation. lot of water

Near my sister's in Socorro there are trees along the Rio Grande, especially at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, but they are sparse once you get away from the river. For me, going out there is almost like going to a different planet.

 

[lsucet]

Near my sister's in Socorro, there are trees along the Rio Grande, especially at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, but they are sparse once you get away from the river. For me, going out there is almost like going to a different planet.

Down here you can find a little bit of everything. it depend the areas.

 

[Sodbuster]

The fact that you cleaned the chimney at the start of the season and are burning well seasoned wood, there is no way you had a chimney fire, IMO. What I believe you experienced was a combo of warm weather and wind. Were there bath fans, or a dryer running by any chance. If you have a tight house they all compete for air. When I'm done with the heating season, I inspect my chimney and there is never any creosote just gray dust, that flakes right off, and I believe your stove burns even cleaner than mine.

 

[bholler]

there is no way you had a chimney fire,

That is not true at all. You can absolutly have a fire under those conditions.

 

[Sodbuster]

That is not true at all. You can absolutly have a fire under those conditions.

5 minutes after a cold start, and the stove isn't even warm, and not much flame? Will have to respectfully agree to disagree on that one.

 

[bholler]

5 minutes after a cold start, and the stove isn't even warm, and not much flame? Will have to respectfully agree to disagree on that one.

If there are any flames and the bypass is open it is absolutely possible the stove nor the chimney needs to be hot to have a chimney fire. You only need and ember or flames to get into that pipe and light off creosote deposits and you have a chimney fire.To be clear in this case it does not sound like he did have a chimney fire. But to say that if you clean your chimney at the beginning of the season and you burn dry wood there is no risk of a chimney fire is just wrong.

 

[Woody Stover]

What I believe you experienced was a combo of warm weather and wind. Were there bath fans, or a dryer running by any chance.

Well, 36 isn't exactly warm, but it isn't cold, either. I don't know if the "competing for draft" theory has been mentioned either. An exhaust fan, furnace running or a number of other things could tip the scales in the other direction, if draft was marginal to begin with.

 

[Squisher]

If there are any flames and the bypass is open it is absolutely possible the stove nor the chimney needs to be hot to have a chimney fire. You only need and ember or flames to get into that pipe and light off creosote deposits and you have a chimney fire.To be clear in this case it does not sound like he did have a chimney fire. But to say that if you clean your chimney at the beginning of the season and you burn dry wood there is no risk of a chimney fire is just wrong.

I agree whole heartedly with this. A chimney can easily be creosote'd up in very little time through nothing more than improper burning practices, even with good wood and a clean system to start with. that's why thermometers are so important IMO and why it's prudent to check a new or unfamiliar system over the first couple of weeks of burning to see how things are going.