Warning: Some insurance companies state that if you have a chimney fire and there is subsequent damage; cover may not apply if you have not had your chimney swept at least annually.
Make sure you are aware of the frequency that your chimney must be swept in order to comply with your insurance policy.
Thatch Fires
What causes chimney fires in thatched properties, when a chimney liner is installed
Having a spark guard on top of the chimney, should the cowl get sooty and catch fire then it could drop sparks onto the thatch.
Having an un-insulated liner installed into a tarry chimney.
- Not having the chimney swept often enough
- Register plates made of combustible material.
- By installing the wrong type of liner for the fuel type being used.
- By burning unsuitable or wet wood ( unseasoned ) in appliances.
- By using the fire as a waste bin.
- If the flue liner is installed incorrectly
To help prevent chimney fires
Have spark guards removed or cleaned regularly
The liner should be fully insulated
Have the chimney swept regularly by a qualified chimney sweep
Register plates must be made of non-combustable materials
Install the correct type of liner for the fuel type to be used
Only burn well seasoned fuel according to the manufactures instructions
Don't burn items that can float up the chimney as they burn
The liner must be installed by a HETAS registered installer or inspected by building control.
Thatch Fire safety flyer (From Soliftec)
To help prevent chimney fires
In 2008 alone 9000 chimney fires wrecked the homes and lives of homeowners in the uk. don't be a statistic, make sure you get your chimney swept and appliance serviced annually
Chimney fires can burn explosively - noisily and dramaticly enough to be detected by neighbors or passers by. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane.
However, those are only the chimney fires you know about. Slow-burning chimney fires don't get enough air or have enough fuel to be as dramatic or visible as their more spectacular cousins. But, the temperatures they reach are very high and can cause damage to the chimney structure - and nearby combustible parts of the house.
Chimney fires don't have to happen. Here are some ways to avoid them:
Use seasoned woods only (dryness is more important than hard wood versus soft wood considerations)
Build smaller, hotter fires that BURN more completely and produce less smoke
Never BURN cardboard boxes, waste paper, or Christmas trees. The use of your fire as a waste paper bin can start a chimney fire.
Use only recommended fuels for your appliance and flue type(If you are unsure check your manufactures instructions or ask your stove supplier).
