Creosote Buildup Removal Methods For Fireplace Safety
Creosote Buildup Removal Methods For Fireplace Safety Creosote is the dark, often shiny, sometimes flaky residue that accumulates on the inside of any chimney that vents a wood-burning appliance. It is the byproduct of incomplete combustion, formed when smoke containing unburned hydrocarbons cools as it rises and condenses onto the flue walls. In small amounts, it is a normal consequence of burning wood. In larger amounts, it is the leading cause of chimney fires in the United States and the single greatest hidden hazard in many older homes. The National Fire Protection Association attributes a substantial portion of the roughly 22,000 residential chimney fires reported in the U.S. each year to creosote ignition, with most of these incidents occurring in chimneys that had not been inspected or cleaned within the previous twelve months. The good news is that creosote removal is a well-understood process with several proven methods available, from homeowner-level chemical trea...
