Chimney Safety & Information

Carbon Monoxide

CO alarms are a vital part of your safety. Carbon monoxide poisoning is dangerous and in some cases can be fatal. Carbon Monoxide is an invisible gas, odourless and tasteless which makes it that much more important to have an up to date alarm to protect you in your home.

Correctly installed appliances are designed to combust fuel efficiently and produce little waste CO. Audible alarms can be a great way to detect if a hazards amount of CO is in your room and advised to contact a professional immediately and they will advice with steps necessary to assure your safety is met.

Installing a CO alarm-

Your CO alarm-

CO alarms don't last forever- check manufacturers quoted life time and test alarm regularly
Always make sure when purchasing alarms that they comply with the British standards (will have a British or European Mark located) We also supply and fit alarms. please let us know before your sweep date if you would like one fitted.
Please also ensure your CO alarm is correctly Fitted and only one alarm per one appliance
CO alarm must be fitted in the same room as your appliance.

Causes of low exposure to Carbon Monoxide

headache
shortness of breath
confusion/tiredness
dizziness
nausea

Causes of high exposure to Carbon Monoxide

seizures
loss of co-ordination
high heart-rate
chest pain
vertigo
breathlessness

Flues/Types Of Flue

A chimney flue is a vertical passageway that runs from the firebox of a fireplace or wood-burning stove up to the top of the chimney, allowing smoke and other combustion byproducts to exit the home safely.

There must only be ONE appliance using any one flue way. This is due to the circulation of air in the flue way. An example of this is- one brick flue can only be used with one stove (wood burner) or open fire lined or unlined. two open fires (normally in more than one room) or two wood burners cannot use the same/one flue way lined or unlined.

Asbestos

Asbestos was once used in chimneys and other flues, but it is no longer used. However, asbestos may still be present in older homes and can be harmful to residents.

Here are some things to know about asbestos in chimneys:

Exposure
Construction or renovation work on a chimney or flue can release asbestos fibers into the air. Even without renovation work, asbestos in older flues can be harmful.
Risk
The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is particularly hazardous. Smokers who are also exposed to asbestos have a greater risk of developing lung cancer.

Levels
It is unlikely that the levels of asbestos fibers found in buildings will be harmful. However, if you have damaged asbestos materials in your home, you should seek advice on what to do.

Appliance

Wood Burner/ Stove

A log burner, also known as a wood-burning stove, is a heating appliance that burns wood to heat a room:

What they are
Log burners are typically made of cast iron, steel, or stone and are made up of a firebox, stove door, stove pipe, and air vents.
How they work
Log burners burn seasoned wood logs on a flat base, where ash collects. A small amount of ash helps with combustion, so it's usually left in the stove.
Benefits
Log burners are a popular choice in the UK for their warmth, comfort, and rustic appeal. They can also be a more environmentally friendly option than fossil fuels, and can help you reduce your heating costs.
Considerations
When choosing a log burner, you can consider things like:
- Certification: EPA-certified stoves are more energy efficient and cleaner burning.
- Fuel: Some log burners can also burn other solid fuels like anthracite.
- Location: If you live in a smoke control area, you'll need to buy a DEFRA approved stove.

Log burners do have some maintenance requirements such as fire bricks, rope, glass and baffle plates that need to have the up keep maintained to ensure adequate performance. Minimum to one sweep per year to maintain a safe and efficient flue way.

Open Fires

Warmth
Open fires can provide warmth without electricity. They can warm a room to an ambient temperature, and you're unlikely to get too hot.
Fuel bills
Wood is cheaper than other fuel sources, and open fires can reduce fuel bills.
Aesthetics
Open fires can look welcoming and gorgeous. They can be a focal point of a room, drawing guests into its space.
Cooking
You can cook over an open fire, such as making tea, baking bread, and cooking stew. Open-flame cooking enables high-temperature cooking, which can create a golden and crispy exterior while maintaining tenderness.
Choice of fuel
You can use either wood or coal on an open fire.
Draughts
Open fires use large amounts of oxygen, which increases air flow around the house.
Open fires are not as efficient as log burners but do benefit with less soot and maintenance as they burn hotter and you don't have as much maintenance as a log burner such as rope, fire bricks, glass and baffle plates.
Minimum to one sweep per year to maintain a safe and efficient flue way

Gas fire

Efficiency

Gas fireplaces are usually 70–90% efficient at converting energy into heat. The efficiency depends on the fireplace and the insulation of your home.
Safety

Gas fireplaces should be installed and serviced by a qualified Gas Safe registered fitter. You should also have a carbon monoxide sensor in the room, especially for flueless gas fires. If you smell gas, turn off the supply and call an expert.
Maintenance

You should occasionally remove dust, soot, and carbon buildup from the logs and make sure the door gaskets are intact.
Types

There are conventional flue gas fires, which connect to a chimney or flue which needs to be swept as you would a normal stove or open fire.

Minimum to one sweep per year to maintain a safe and efficient flue way.

Cowling and guards

There are many types of cowls and guards and they have their specific uses for chimneys. Using the correct cowl can have major benefits to your chimney, whether that will be to help with up draught or just a simple rain cap. We can provide and fit cowls or guards at your request and will always advise where necessary.

RainCap

The Traditional Raincap is designed to help minimise the entry of rain into your system helping to prevent interior structural decay caused by the natural freeze/thaw cycle throughout the year

Bird Guard

High Top Birdguard Solid Fuel Chimney cowl prevents the ingress of birds, small mammals and leaves into used or unused chimney flues

Anti-down Draught

The anti down draught cowl is a great solution for problems with downdraught. Using the wind against itself, the stainless steel turbine shaped head catches the wind causing it to rotate creating increased draw up the flue. This will help greater efficiency.

Types Of Fuels

Coal

If we begin with the most well known type of fuel which is coal. This is still used by many people and it is mostly associated with the traditional open fire and capable of giving off a great amount of heat. However, it can clog up your chimney with soot quite quickly and you will need to have regular chimney sweeping and inspections to make sure that the flue itself is clear and safe.

Wood

The most widely used biomass fuel is wood. Wood can be obtained in many forms notably logs, either natural hard woods, soft woods or manufactured logs. The idea of having a wood burning stove is certainly something that is attractive to many people, but as with the coal this is not a fuel type that can be used in a smoke free zone, unless you fit a DEFRA approved stove, this is a cleaner burning appliance and are certificated for use in smoke control areas. You do need to make sure that you have the correct wood as it must have a low resin / moisture content and you must not have any kind of paint or varnish on the wood or you run the risk of poisonous gases being emitted.

Smoke Control Areas

Many parts of the UK are smoke control areas where-

you cannot release smoke from a chimney
you can only burn authorised fuel, unless you use an appliance approved by Defra (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘Defra approved appliance’)

What you can burn in smoke control areas-

In a smoke control area you can only burn fuel on the list of authorised fuels, or any of the following ‘smokeless’ fuels, unless you’re using a Defra approved appliance:

anthracite
semi-anthracite
gas
low volatile steam coal

Use the offical gov website to check your area-

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/sca/

Creosote Build Up

Creosote buildup is a buildup of a flammable substance in a chimney or stove pipe that can lead to chimney fires. It's caused by incompletely burned wood, which releases volatile compounds that condense into creosote.

Stages of creosote buildup

Stage 1: A flaky deposit that's easy to clean with a brush
Stage 2: A sticky, tar-like deposit
Stage 3: A shiny, wax-like substance that's very flammable and requires professional removal

Dangers of creosote buildup

Chimney fires: Creosote buildup can lead to chimney fires, which can spread to the home
Toxic fumes: Creosote buildup can expose people to toxic fumes
Health issues: Creosote buildup can cause health issues

How to prevent creosote buildup

Have your chimney swept twice a year by an Approved Chimney Sweep
Ensure firewood is fully seasoned to the correct moisture of 15-20%
Ensure your chimney has good airflow and a good up draught

How to remove creosote buildup

For stage 1 buildup, brush it away
For stage 3 buildup, use chemical treatments or special rotary chain whips
In severe cases, replace the chimney liner

Your chimney sweep will advise where necessary