A risky way to end the holidays
Q: I'm writing to share some fireplace maintenance advice that may be of benefit to your readers. Let them know they can save the cost of a chimney sweep by burning their Christmas tree after the holiday season. The high heat produced by the pine oils will burn out the creosote in the flue, leaving it as clean as a whistle.
A: Burning your Christmas tree in your fireplace is an ill-conceived and terribly dangerous procedure. Please reconsider this hazardous practice. You may have gotten away with it in the past, but that is no guarantee you will continue to be so lucky. Risky behavior without consequence does not insure against future calamity. Some people have managed to drive under the influence without causing an accident, but we can all agree that doing so is as foolish as it is illegal. Sooner or later, both practices, Christmas tree burning and DUI's, are likely to incur unfortunate results.
Your recommendation is dangerous because the creosote that accumulates in your chimney is a highly combustible fuel. When it ignites, unusually high temperatures can literally melt a metal chimney and can cause structural cracks in masonry ones. Without realizing it, you may already have damaged your chimney. You could even be venting hot smoke into your attic, allowing excess heat to char the wood framing.
My advice is to have your chimney inspected by a certified chimney sweep and to cease and desist from practicing Russian roulette with your fireplace. If you enjoy watching your Christmas tree burn, check with your local municipality to see if you can legally burn it in your yard. Otherwise, set it at the curb for the weekly trash pickup.
Q: When we bought our house, the home inspector said he could not open the fireplace damper, suggesting we have it checked further. We probably should have taken his advice, but did not. Recently, we used the fireplace for the first time, and our teenage son had no problem opening the damper. The fireplace worked OK, but whenever it rains, the brick firebox becomes wet. Now we're wondering why the home inspector was unable to open the damper and whether leak repairs are covered by the home warranty policy.
A: Your son may simply be stronger than the home inspector. Be that as it may, leaking at the chimney top apparently caused rusting of the damper hardware, causing the mechanism to stick. To prevent further water intrusion, a chimney cap is probably needed. Surprisingly, caps are not required on all masonry chimneys. You should also follow the home inspector's original recommendation and have the fireplace system fully evaluated by a qualified professional, such as a certified chimney sweep.
As for home warranty coverage, that will depend upon the fine print in the policy. With most insurance companies, the primary objective is to protect their financial interests, not yours. This claim would probably be disallowed as a preexisting condition, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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