BLACK GOOSE
CHIMNEY SWEEP, INC.
“Don’t Make an Ash of Yourself-
Rely on a Certified Chimney Sweep”
Roanoke 540-
Questions -
Fireplace inserts first became popular in the late 1970's due to the nation's first oil crisis. They were easy for a homeowner to self install, and allowed anyone with an existing fireplace to quickly and simply adapt to wood burning for heating requirements for the home. It soon became apparent that fireplace inserts presented their own unique installation problems, and their safety became questionable. The principal safety problem with an insert is the excessive production of CREOSOTE in masonry fireplaces and chimneys. This creosote is caused when the already cool smoke from the insert lingers in the large volume areas of the masonry firebox and smoke chamber prior to entering the chimney flue. Further cooling of the smoke flow is caused by cold air leaking in around the edges of the insert. This cooled smoke readily condenses on the inner walls of the fireplace and chimney and becomes creosote, which is basically a form of fuel. This unburned stored fuel becomes the fuel that causes intense chimney fires when ignited.
To put it simply, masonry fireplaces and their chimneys, ARE TOO BIG to properly vent a fireplace insert stove. On the average, your masonry chimney is designed to vent 1200 square inches (the opening size of your fireplace). The average older insert stove requires an 8" round chimney, which is about 51 square inches. Newer EPA Phase II inserts are usually vented with 6" chimney, which is only 28 square inches. As you can readily see, bigger is not always better, especially when it comes to properly venting wood smoke.
Proper sweeping of masonry chimneys after use of an insert stove can be a major problem. Due to the difficulty and time consumed in the sweeping process, chimney sweeps must charge higher prices. These higher prices discourage customers from getting their inserts swept on a regular basis, after all, the insert was supposed to save them money in the first place! The end result is a greater risk of the dreaded chimney fire. The money a customer would pay for a regular sweeping pales to what a serious chimney fire will cost, not to mention the safety threat to all who live there.
The fireplace insert stove received national attention in the early 1980's, due to the number of serious structure fires they were causing. In 1984, the NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION adopted the following code in its safety publication. As of 2006 it reads as follows:
NFPA211 (2006)
12.4.5 Connection to Masonry Fireplaces A natural draft solid fuel-
(1) There is a connector that extends from the appliance to the flue liner.
(2) Any unexposed metal that is used as a connector and is exposed to flue gases is constructed of stainless steel or other equivalent material that resists corrosion, softening, or cracking from flue gases at temperatures up to 1800˚F (982˚C).
(3) The cross-
(4) The cross-
(5) The cross-
(6) If the appliance vents directly through the chimney wall above the smoke chamber, there is a noncombustible seal below the entry point of the connector.
(7) The installation is such that the chimney system can be inspected and cleaned.
(8) Means are provided to prevent dilution of combustion products in the chimney flue with air from the habitable space.
Since the 1990's insert use has changed drastically and most of it for the better. The EPA has stepped in and regulated stoves of every type. This has caused the consumer to pay a little more for current stoves, but they are much safer as well as more efficient and this trend will continue.
We still have a large number of the older inserts in use and these are the ones causing so much concern. Perhaps one of these is in use in your fireplace, which is reason enough to read this. If you are using a fireplace insert stove that is NOT directly connected to the chimney flue, YOU ARE AT RISK. Please consider one or more of the following options to increase your family's personal safety in the home.
1. CEASE OPERATING the fireplace insert if it is not properly installed.
2. Remove the fireplace insert and convert your fireplace back to its originally intended use. This option requires a very thorough sweeping to remove the excessive creosote deposited in the smoke chamber and chimney. Please realize that even a professional, using the best tools, can only clean to about 85% after extensive insert usage. The use of an open fire in the fireplace will dry out the remaining creosote glaze, making it relatively easy to remove. By the way, the chance of a homeowner sweeping this type of glazed chimney to a reasonable condition is nil.
3. You may consider the installation of a vented GAS insert. These require an outside source of fuel, such as a propane or natural gas. Please remember, with this option you still need the use of your chimney for a vent. DO NOT install a gas appliance or any other heat source until the chimney has been swept and inspected for such use. Also, read their instructions! We do not recommend unvented gas logs in fireplaces which formerly vented wood stoves.
4. If you decide to PROPERLY connect your present wood insert to the chimney, there
are two available ways; a) direct connect and, b) full liner. First, you must realize
that the only chimney material allowed to be used in relining a masonry chimney
is stainless steel. That old black pipe or even new heavy galvanized pipe is not
allowed under the building code. If your stove is pre-
5. DIRECT CONNECT A direct connect is allowed under the NFPA-
6. FULL LINER The ultimate but most expensive solution is the installation of a full length, stainless steel, insulated chimney liner. This option provides the homeowner greatly enhanced safety, high efficiency, and low maintenance and sweeping costs. This means the insert will no longer have to be removed for sweeping as all the chimney's creosote is brushed directly into the stove box. These liners come with a lifetime warranty and allow a wide range of additional options.
POLICY STATEMENT: Black Goose Chimney Sweep, Inc. is a certified and insured company.
We are licensed contractors, and a member of the Better Business Bureau of Southwest
Central Virginia. Accordingly, only chimney work or relining that conforms to NFPA-
FIREPLACE INSERTS