You don’t often hear about chimney fires in August – especially in Texas!
Thankfully no one was hurt, but this unfortunate event is yet another reminder of the importance of having your chimney closely inspected. As these owners found out the hard way, even just having a “small” fire – not to heat the house, but just to get rid of a few papers – is enough to cause big problems.
By far, the worst part of our job is delivering the bad news when we find problems with chimney systems. Some of the issues we find are so miniscule that it’s tempting to dismiss them as a minor issue, but this is exactly why we look so closely for even the most miniscule concern. As the fire chief pointed out in this report, this fire was caused when, “A split in the metal pipe chimney attached to the fireplace, which runs through the attic, allowed the chimney contents to escape.”
If you’re just calling someone to get your chimney swept before the winter, you’re missing out on the most valuable and important part of chimney servicing – the inspection! When you call your chimney service company, make sure to ask for a Level 2 inspection and ensure they are using the right technology – flue cameras, borescopes, and other instruments – to find these problems before they cause an even bigger problem.https://bigbendsentinel.com/2022/08/17/it-is-heartbreaking-highland-street-house-fire-caused-by-faulty-chimney-likely-a-total-loss/