I finally saw a chimney fire in person at a job in Spokane

It was a standard clean on a 1950s brick home, and the homeowner had been burning green wood for months. I told them the creosote buildup was bad, but they shrugged it off. Two days later, I got a call back to the same address for an emergency. The whole flue was roaring, and the sound was like a freight train. That one job made me start taking pictures of every dirty flue I see now, no exceptions. Anyone else keep a photo folder just for convincing stubborn customers?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly_hart282d ago

Saw a video once where a chimney fire basically turned into a house fire in under ten minutes. Your photo folder idea is smart, some people just won't listen until they see proof. That roaring sound must have been terrifying to hear in real life. Green wood is such a common mistake, but it's crazy how many people think it's fine.

eric_thompson2d ago

Started a group chat with my neighbors after ours happened, sharing photos really drove the point home.