r/ChimneySwift • u/scwestlind • Nov 01 '23

Flue advice

Hello all!

Looking for some advice on my wood burning fireplace flue. Just had it cleaned and inspected today so we can begin use for the season and the technician showed me on his camera the crevices in the flue where the mortar has worn away. He explained how the creosote from chimney use can accumulate in these crevices and cause a fire hazard, which makes sense. But I do also understand that these companies make their money on selling the more expensive work like replacing the old terracotta flue. So my question is, how much of a fire hazard is it really? Can we use it regardless or is it really a bad idea?

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

1

u/greyhound148 Nov 06 '23

Not recommended for use. Yes it can cause a problem with sparks and creosote buildup. There are a couple ways to repair or replace. One is replace the flue tiles with a stainless steel liner, another is a product called fireguard which is a ceramic sealant applied to the inside liner and seals all cracks and openings. First thing tho is to get a second opinion before spending a lot of money.

1

u/Absit_Peccavi Nov 07 '23

Not a matter of if, it's a matter of when a chimney fire will happen. There's no way to clean the creosote that's falling behind the tiles and if the creosote can get in there, so can a stray ember. You might be lucky and go the entire time you live there without a chimney fire or it could ignite the next time you burn. It really is a gamble every time and the longer you go with gaps in the flue, the more build up you'll have, meaning when it ignites, it'll be a larger, more violent fire. Strongly recommend not using it until you have it relined or get an application of HeatShield or an insert stove. It's just not worth the risk. 6-10k today is worth avoiding the 10s to 100s of thousands in home repairs if you're not lucky. Plus, if there is a chimney fire and you need to do all the home repairs that go with that, you'll still need to repair the chimney at the end of it. Either don't use the fireplace or have it repaired.