How do You Know if it's Safe to Have a Fire in Your Fireplace?

[Qs Laptop]

My wife and I have lived in our house for 25 years now. We have a fireplace but have never had a fire. When we first moved in we had a chimney sweep come out and clean the chimney. (I don't remember it being very dirty.) He also put a new chimney topper on (a wire cage to keep animals out of the chimney.) The charge was $350, which I thought was exorbitant, considering he was at the house for less than an hour. Did he really clean the chimney, or not? I also felt that I was unnecessarily upsold on the chimney cap. Obviously, it made an impression on me as I still remember it clearly 25 years later.

We thought it would be nice to finally have a fire in our fireplace this Christmas. But I hesitate because I don't know the integrity of the chimney. I fear we get a fire going and the smoke doesn't draft up the chimney. Instead it backs into the house and we have a huge problem on our hands.
A visual inspection with a flashlight shows it is unobstructed all the way up.

I figured the fire department would be the people to call for a chimney inspection. It makes sense to me that the people responsible for putting out house fires would be eager to inspect chimneys as a preventative measure. My wife called the city but was told they don't do this service for liability reasons.

My wife called some chimney sweep companies. The expense varies from $99 to $295. The $99 charge is for coming out to your house and inspecting the chimney. If there is nothing more to be done the fee is $99. If the chimney needs to be cleaned it will be $295, which includes the service call/inspection fee.

So, what is the inspection going to consist of? A person with a flashlight looking up the chimney, right? They are not going to climb up on my snow covered 2 story house and peer down the chimney. I feel like I'll be paying $99 for someone to shine a flashlight. Call me a cynic, but I figure any chimney sweep I have out here is going to tell me I need to clean the chimney. I kind of feel helpless in this situation.

Questions:

1. How do you know if it's safe to have a fire in your fireplace?

2. Other than a visual look-see, what does a chimney inspection consist of?

 

[RobbieB]

The chimney was inspected when it was cleaned before and the needed cap was installed to prevent birds and rodents from plugging it up with nests.

Go ahead and start a fire. I like to fire the propane torch up there for a while just to make sure I have a draft. You can check with a match too, light it, blow it out and make sure the smoke goes up.

Once you know that, start it up and enjoy your fire -

 

[pb4uski]

+1 If it hasn't been used since it was last cleaned and you can see up it then it is probably ok. Start a small fires as a trial. Since it is a fireplace liberal amounts of newspaper and clean, dry kindling to start.

I also sometimes pour 1/4 cup of kerosene or lighter fluid over the kindling or use one of those firestarter things becuase I'm lazy.

 

[euro]

I agree that if you have not used the fireplace since the last cleaning and you cannot see any obstructions, you are very likely ok. I'd go ahead and give it a try.

That said, I don't think the inspection prices you were quoted are exorbitant. Let's face it, these days pretty much ANY service call (plumber, electrician, handyman, etc) will cost $100 just to get someone out to your place. That seems reasonable to me because it probably takes an hour of travel time.
What you also pay for is expertise. Yes, you can shine a flashlight up there, but the chimney sweep will probably have a camera he can lower down (or send up) to inspect the integrity of the lining of your chimney.
Again, since you didn't use it since it was inspected, it is unlikely that anything deteriorated even over a good many years.

 

[MC Rider]

You know it's safe when you have it cleaned and inspected. Which you did years ago. Unless there has been something to cause damage to the fireplace or chimney, like an earthquake, I'd do like Robbie suggests and try it out. If any doubts, pay the man to check it over, it's a safety thing. We did with our new to us pellet stove, and I learned a few things about it. Like, it needs a new burn pot.

 

[Sue J]

We just went through some expensive chimney work. The prices you posted are reasonable.

Our issue started many years ago when we noticed concrete chips in the driveway, coming from the chimney crown. That's the sloped part of the chimney top that holds the chimney cap that keeps out the animals. A repairman (not a chimney expert) patched it up so that it stopped chipping. But after that a storm knocked off the chimney cap. So we ended up with a raccoon in our chimney. We could hear it moving around just above our fireplace.

We called a chimney repair company. We paid $150 for an inspection and estimate. He took pictures showing us the incorrect work done by the last guy and also a video of the raccoon looking up at him! The $150 could be applied to the work done later.

I thought his estimate was high so we got another estimate from another company. These folks had a drone and it was clear that we needed the work! Their estimate was much higher.

First, we had to get rid of our raccoon guest. This involved a pest control company who set traps, inspected every day and once they were sure it was gone they installed a temp cover on the chimney ($450).

We called the first company back and had the work done. This included removing and replacing the old crown plus installing a section of new flue that was missing($1600), reseal all the flashing ($550), grinding out 3 courses of mortar between bricks and tuck pointing new mortar ($700), and installing a new chimney cap ($200). He also came in the house to clean out all the mess that collected in the bottom of the flue (no charge), including raccoon hair, nesting material and turds.

We moved in in 1983 and had the chimney cleaned right away. We have used the fireplace maybe 5 or 6 times and have not used it at all since 1995. If and when we sell the house an inspector would have flagged all this even if the raccoon was gone. This needed to be done whether we use the fireplace or not. It was more expensive that we expected before the estimates but this is not something for a general handyman. Chimneys need professionals.

 

[Graybeard]

I don't think that price of $295 to clean the chimney is reasonable, I live in one of the most expensive states and while it used to be $99 it's now $125 and he's here at least one hour 1 story house.

Just cuz you can see the flue is unobstructed I don't think that means it is safe. You have been in the house 25 years, how old is the house? Who knows what a prior owner, if you aren't the original, did re the fireplace. The tiles in the chimney flue may be cracked, house fires can start when the dried out wood gets a spark from a crack. Fireplaces burn hot as the draft is uncontrollable but woodstoves are the cause of a clogged chimney due to creosote build up if you don't clean them.

While I think the prices are too high I think you need to ensure the internal lining of the flue pipes is in good condition. I heat with wood, here for 22 years and my other house for 8 years. I always have the chimney cleaned every May.

 

[MC Rider]

.......... I think you need to ensure the internal lining of the flue pipes is in good condition. ........

We sold our vintage 1956 house last month with a brick chimney. The inspector said it was built with 2 layers of bricks, and his camera showed a few missing from the inside layer. Don't think you'll see something like that with a flashlight. But it could be important. We had 1 fire in there in 12.5 years.



Safety card is down for you. have it checked.

 

[latexman]

Do you have a CO detector in the house? That would ease my mind a bit.

 

[Sunset]

If you can look up and see light, and you know the damper is open, I'd light a small fire with just newspaper and kindling before you plan to have a regular one.
If the kindling is burning fine and no smoke coming back in the house, add a couple of pieces of wood and have a normal fire.
That way on the planned night, you know you can have a fire and no surprise.

Don't use any fluids to get it going, as there is no need and you don't want it to surprise you.

 

[Jerry1]

I’d guess you’d be fine, however, after I got my chimney checked out (it was fine), I went and bought a gas insert. Push a button and there’s a nice warm fire. And, no draft pulling warm air out of the house.

My dad had a natural fireplace for decades. He finally got tired and put in a gas insert. I loved the natural fire. However, the work involved is significant. From schlepping the wood to cleaning out the ash, to having it inspected and swept, it’s a big job.

 

[Walt34]

Our pre-retirement house had a brick masonry fireplace and we used it frequently up until the last few years when I got tired of hauling wood and ashes.

I second the opinion that the prices for inspection/cleaning are not unreasonable. Most businesses will charge about $100 to knock on your door because that's what it costs them; they're not making much if anything on that. Also I recommend getting the inspection done - a chimney fire is something you do not want to risk. It is expensive to fix and a huge mess afterward. (Envision lots of sooty water coming out of the fireplace.)

All that said, if you're not going to do the inspection, at least start a small fire beforehand and make sure the draft works. The one at our old house was somewhat difficult to get started (required closing the glass doors to keep the heat/smoke in the fireplace) but once the draft was going there were no further issues.

Lastly, if you're still on the fence about the value of an inspection/cleaning, stop by the local firehouse and ask the firefighters there about it. They'll give you an earful much better than I can.

 

[Mark1]

Wow, first fire in 25 years. Based on that information, I would probably just have a fire if you're really that interested, as it might be your first and last. It sounds like the chimney was swept and inspected 25 years ago and you provided no data that would indicated that any integrity issues have occurred since the visual inspection.

Now days, many chimney sweeps will run a camera up the chimney during the inspection/cleaning process. My most recent cleaning and inspection ran $185 for reference. If you get into the fireplace mode and routinely use it going forward, make sure you have the chimney sweep routinely (say yearly), or use only seasoned, dry wood. I only have my chimney sweep every 3 years after 4 or 5 cords, but I only burn wood that has been on my own wood racks for at least 1 year, if not longer, and then dried in my shop for at least 2-3 weeks before I bring it up to my wood box by the house. It's easy to dry wood properly, when the relative humidity here is only 5% for the month of June/July.

 

[kgtest]

I've had 2 fires in the 8 years I lived here. DW has asthma and complained that it made it worse. Now, 2yr old also has asthma (Takes after momma) so I doubt I will ever have another fire in my chimney.

I paid $100 to have it cleaned when I moved in, and I think it took him all of 20 minutes tops. Since I used it 2 times since then, I doubt it needs to be cleaned again.

I did hear some sort of animal banging around the top of the chimney, not sure if he actually made it IN the chimney. In the summer I climbed up on top of the roof and inspected it and all looked fine. NO signs of an animal, and it didn't look like the way the chimney was designed that any critter could actually get in the chimney. It had a wire mesh cage around the cylindrical flume. So the squirrel must have just been hanging out on the flat part of the chimney. Haven't heard the noise in at least 9 months now.

I do wish I could have more fires but it is what it is. I'll just have to go to a restaurant that has a fireplace if I really want to enjoy one.

Best of luck, I would light the fire and watch the smoke...make a very small fire until you can see the smoke coming out the top of the chimney from outside. Then you know you are good.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Took a look up the chimney using a 100 watt bulb in a reflector fixture. THe fireplace floor looks fine and does the walls of the firebox. There is a "stair-step" construction to the bricks on one side of the inside of the chimney leading up to the flue (left side of photo) while the other sides of the chimney are flat faced bricks (right side of the photo.) The flat-faced bricks and the flue itself look decently clean. (I could see further up the flue than the photo shows.)

The stair-step bricks have black soot and ash accumulated in the right angle interface and nooks and crannies. It seems like a very small amount of ash (creosote?), I doubt it would be enough to cause a chimney fire.

I don't see how a chimney sweep could clean those stair-step bricks unless they went in there and chipped out the soot/ash by hand. I don't think they come clean with a brush.

I would think if the chimney/flue were really dirty there would be black soot build up on the screw-style damper opening mechanism. That thing is really clean as is the damper plate itself.





Since everybody seems to think $99 is reasonable, for safety's sake and peace of mind I think I will have the inspection done. Hopefully they can stick a camera up there for a better view. I don't think the flue itself is dirty. I think the only places that are dirty are the sawtooth like edges of the bricks in the stair configuration. I'll have to make a judgment call if I get a hard sell on a complete cleaning.

 

[DJRR]

Cleaning relates to creosote, which comes from burning wood, so no issue if you have not burned anything since last cleaning.

Structural integrity should be fine unless, as someone pointed out, you had an earthquake or some other observable chipping etc.

Obstruction should be fine based on being able to see clearly to the top and a cap being installed.

Make sure the damper is open and fire it up. Most problems come from a closed damper putting smoke in the room or the chimney catching fire due to creosote buildup.

 

[rk911]

most of the chimney sweeps we've hired have been off-duty firefighters. if you've not used or had the chimney inspected for 24-years then I would forgo the Christmas fire. our sweeps clean the flu, vaccumm out any ash from the hearth, do a visual inspection of the critter cage and the brickwork.

 

[RobbieB]

I don't see anything wrong with your chimney, it looks very clean. Why don't you torch up a Duraflame after checking draft?

There won't be much heat, just a good flame show.

 

[MC Rider]

Reading this makes me think I like the pellet stove in our new place pretty well.

 

[street]

I would say you are fine, and you have had some good advice. I clean my own with a chain. I drop it down from the top and work the sides by moving the chain. Tie a few knots in the chain you drop down.

 

[Badger]

If there is no creosote (should have been taken care of from by the chimney sweep) and the chimney is structurally sound then it shouldn't be a problem. Just burn hardwood only. I like the idea of using a Duraflame log first if only to check the draft. Sometimes chimney haven't been designed well. I bought an old house with a beautiful chimney but it didn't draw well and the first time some of the smoke didn't make it up the chimney. I had a metal trim fabricated to lower the opening inside and never had a problem.

Cheers!

 

[old medic]

I wouldn't worry a bit about lighting a fire up in that. Your more in danger of a spark popping out and lighting up a carpet than a chimney fire. As others have said, start with a small fire with kindling and build up. Keep in mind, heat rises, but also cold air sinks. If your house is sealed up tight, you may get some smoke backing up because the air is just exchanging in the chimney, and not pulling a draft.

 

[Qs Laptop]

UPDATE: With the weather turning nasty here in Minneapolis--5-7 inches of snow, minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, 30-40 mph winds for the next THREE DAYS, the classic blizzard--we decided to cancel the chimney sweep appointment and forget about our desire to have a fire on Christmas Eve.

Instead, we will take the advice of many here and try lighting a small test fire when it "warms up" to 10 or 15 degrees next week. If that works OK we will then try a larger fire. Thanks for all your advice, everyone.

 

[steelyman]

Whenever you decide to give it a go, make sure to have a fire extinguisher handy, just in case.

 

[RobbieB]

I always make sure I have a draft before torching the fuel.

Propane torch placed inside the FP for a half minute, then test with smoke to verify draft. If draft good, light fuel. No problem.

How do I know this? By filling the house with smoke 3 times and setting off the smoke detector.

Yeah, sometimes you will get a "plug" of cold air in the chimney and when you light off the fuel the smoke has nowhere to go but in your house. Not a good thing and really not good in the winter when you need to open windows and turn on fans to rid the smoke.

That's why I always verify draft before torching the fuel -