21
That chimney fire in an old house outside Cleveland last winter
I was sweeping a 1920s brick house near Cleveland and hit a thick creosote plug I didn't see. Next thing I know the liner caught fire and I had to rip the stove pipe out to get it under control. Has anyone else dealt with hidden creosote buildup behind a clean-looking flue?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
claireg811mo ago
Hidden creosote behind a clean-looking flue" yeah that's just a normal Tuesday for me, I swear those things are secretly plotting against us. Glad you got the stove pipe out before the whole house went up in smoke though.
4
Three weeks ago at my aunt's place in Akron, I pulled a dead squirrel out of her chimney cap and found a solid foot of creosote underneath that looked like a clean surface from below. That stuff hides so well it's like it wants to catch you off guard. @claireg81 nailed it with the plotting comment, seems like every old house in this area has some secret buildup waiting to ruin your day. I swear half the calls I get about "just a quick cleaning" turn into me finding tar layers that should have been dealt with years ago. It's the same pattern everywhere with these old brick chimneys, they look solid on the outside but the inside is a whole different story.
3