Safety in the upcoming heating season

[JeffHK454]

I been heating exclusively with wood for the last three winters and plain to for the next 50 , if I'm lucky!

We try to improve our process every year whether its a better saw or a new drying/stacking method and this year I'm stepping up my fire safety.

I've always had smoke detectors and extinguishers in strategic places around the house but I'd like to take it up a notch this year.

I'd like to be better prepared for a chimney fire if it where to occur with early warning if possible and the correct smothering techniques and tools.

So does anybody use flue temp alarm , homemade or store bought? Also whats the best product for putting out a out of control flue fire. I have heard of people using baking soda and watereek but I'm looking for more modern
methods. I've read about very specific dry extinguishers that you light and throw in and it suffocates the fire , any opinions?

If it matters I have a forced air wood/coal furnace in my basement with a arrow strait 6" triple wall SS flue that I clean religiously every 6 weeks.

Thanks for any input, Jeff

 

[laynes69]

I have seen wood ash, and cut off all draft to the fire. I think if you cut off all oxygen, it wont have enough to burn. I have been very close, and I shut all dampers, and the fire almost went out. Then again, if its a epa wood stove, then I think they have air no matter what, so probably wouldnt work for that.

 

[turnkey4099]

Thanks for the reminder. Time to crawl the roof and do the annual chimney cleaning again. Probably do that this week.

Harry K

 

[Tendencies]

First time poster here so I thought I'd jump in, I'm a Firefighter for a local Village FD and all we use for Chimney Fires is a dry chemical extinguisher that we place in simple sandwich plastic bags, we put about a cups worth of it in each bag and keep them in a 5 gal pail (the dry chem is available at most local hardware stores). When we get called out we immediately get on the roof and drop 2 or 3 bags down the chimney, usually the chimney walls are so rough they tear the bags open and the dry chemical falling chokes out the fire by removing the oxygen. We never use water unless it's a last resort, water will crack the clay/brick liner making the chimney useless and 9 outta 10 times the owner will clean up the mess, and start another fire and this time it's a house fire!! And to be safe, get everybody outta the house and dial 911, we are the pro's so let us do our job, usually it's about midnight when we get the call and thats no time for YOU to be on the roof!!

Be safe! Have your chimney cleaned/inspected yearly!!

T

 

[sloth9669]

firefighter

I also am on a fire dept for my town...best advice put out the fire in the stove...use dry chem in the stove and heat will bring it up and take out the oxegen...after that is done shut the doors to further shut off oxegen and then get out and call 911.....have not heard of detectors you speak of but for what they may cost i would sleep better at night....you dont need to put it out just try and control it a little before you leave the house and let us do the leg work when we arive......happy burning