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Fire Hazard

By David Helm

Home Inspector with Helm Home Inspections

July 19, 2007 03:45 AM

I think a while back a colleague did a post on chimney's and their problems. I thought I'd show this one to illustrate why it is important to get chimneys inspected and cleaned annually. Creosote buildup can burn your house down. And it can happen fast.

Creosote buildup

This is a chimney fire just waiting to happen. I'm surprised it hasn't happened already. Fortunately, the buyers of this home had a home inspection and were advised to have a level two chimney inspection/and cleaning done. If this were the winter, and the wood stove being used, it could have ended very poorly.

Thanks for looking.

David Helm, Bellingham, Washington Home Inspector

www.helmhomeinspections.com

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David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

Well guys. This isn't from Pitch or any other kind of Pine. In western Washington, the main firewood is red alder, with Big Leaf Maple coming in second. All woods produce creosote.

Jul 19, 2007 11:02 AM

Vicki Watzlawick

CORE Realty (The Watz Team) - Algonquin, IL

Illinois Foreclosure Expert, The Watz Team

Wow David That chimney looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years. How long would you say that build up took?

Jul 19, 2007 02:46 PM

Paul A. Perry

Certified Inspections, PC - Residential & Commercial Property Inspections - Crossville, TN

Home Inspector - Crossville & Cookeville, TN

I inspected a home today that had one almost identical to the one you have a picture of David. Isint it nice to be a HI?

BTW How do I insert pictures?

Jul 19, 2007 04:04 PM

David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

Vicki, your guess is as good as mine on how long it took. I'm just amazed the homeowner didn't see it. It's on a low angle roof, I could see it from the ground before even going up on the roof.

Jul 20, 2007 01:43 AM

David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

Paul, Thanks for looking in. Pictures: I'll try to walk you through it. At the top of the "Leave a Response box" or the "blog post box" you'll see a number of tools. Click on the one that looks like a tree. When the new window opens, near the top you will find a line that says "image url". To the right of that is a little colored square the looks something like a calendar. Click on that and you will get a window that says "browse". Click on that, then double click on a picture from your computer. Click on "upload a picture", put in a title and click on "insert". You are now pictured. Good luck.

Jul 20, 2007 01:50 AM

Don Rider

EZ Rider Home Inspections LLC. - Bossier City, LA

Shreveport Bossier Home Inspector

David,

thanks for the picture. like many home owners think, if I can't see a problem, I don't have a problem.

Jul 22, 2007 01:39 AM

Carl Winters

Canyon Lake, TX

David: My first comment is holy cow look at that. I have never seen one this bad. We need to encourage home owners to do some yearly maintenance on their home and checking the chimney is one of them. Great picture.

Carl

Jul 22, 2007 01:42 AM

Dale Baker

Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH

New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy David

It is a very good picture. You have done a very helpful post here. For that do not know what to look for. My hat is off to you.

Have a good one

Jul 22, 2007 05:41 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

That would be in my top ten worst photos of a chimney. Save that, or send me a copy in Email, for the Bellingham Technical College class. We will pass it on to Rick Pen, who teaches that lesson.

Jul 22, 2007 09:41 AM

David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

Don, you're right. Out of sight out of mind. Only thing is, at this level of buildup, the next fire could burn the house down.

Jul 22, 2007 12:04 PM

David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

Carl, you probably don't have nearly as much wood burners down there in Tejas as we do up here. It is the worst one I've seen.

Jul 22, 2007 12:06 PM

David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

Dale, Thanks for the comment and compliment. I try to only send the best.

Jul 22, 2007 12:08 PM

David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

OK Steve, I'll send you a copy tomorrow. Always like to find new and wonderful images for the class.

Jul 22, 2007 12:09 PM

Debbie White

Southeast Alaska Real Estate - Juneau, AK

I Sell Alaska!

As a former firefighter, I've only seen the aftermath. A picture is definitely worth 1000 words.

Aug 07, 2007 08:05 AM

David Helm

Helm Home Inspections - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp

Thanks Debbie, for the comment. It is easy to point out these blatant ones. Where a home inspector earns his or her living is finding and pointing out the more subtle ones.

Aug 11, 2007 08:29 AM

Debbie White

Southeast Alaska Real Estate - Juneau, AK

I Sell Alaska!

Sorry I've been away - rare sunshine in Southeast Alaska lately! Wow have things been happening around the house. We are taking care of all those pesky outside maintenance issues that can cause problems.

You are right that the photo is a blatant example! I think I'll add inspecting the roof boiler chimney to the honey-do's for next week! Just so happens someone will be on the roof cleaning the gutters. I'm lucky to have some of the guys who built the house be able to occasionally help me with the things I cannot do myself. Dear hubby is way too busy with boats and his regular job to worry about the house.

David, I just cannot get over how great that photo is, and I'd like your permission to use that as an example of just how important a thorough, complete home inspection really is. I look forward to hearing from you again.

Aug 15, 2007 06:52 PM

Jeffrey Owen

IonHomeInspection.com - Houston Metro Home Inspection - Katy, TX

Wow that is crazy. We rarely see chimneys like that here in Texas as we just do not use them as much. Reason number 79876 to get a professional home inspection.

Aug 18, 2007 05:46 AM

Chad Baird

Re/Max Spirit - Dayton, OH

I've always wanted fireplace in my house, somehow It just never happened though. Never really gave much though to the maintaining of one. WOW, I thought the main danger of a fireplace was with the kids may somehow get hurt!

Aug 18, 2007 06:03 AM

Jimmy Breazeale

Sherlock Home Inspections - Coldwater, MS

Cresote build-up of that magnitude is usually due to burning wood which is still 'green'. It's important to set wood aside for a while to allow it to dry out. Depending on your climate, this period can be up to a year. I grew up in a home where the fireplace was the primary source of heat. Wood for the next winter was always cut in the late spring, after the planting and before the weeding began. It was always covered, and not stacked too tightly to allow plenty of air through the stacks. I built my "football muscles" cutting, splitting, and stacking mass quantities of red oak!

Hey, David! Been away for a while, kind of lost touch. But I ain't noways dead yet!

Aug 18, 2007 03:16 PM

Donald Sutherland

Marathon Constructors Inspection Services - Seward, AK

Inspector-Seward, Alaska

Excellent shot David,

As a HI I see way to many of these. Also, as a firefighter, I respond to many of these. Although it's not as bad now with all the beetlekill wood we have to burn.

Hi, Jimmy, I've also been away for a while.

BTW, how many of you guys are going to VEGAS for the ITA Expo, 1-3 October? Ought to have an AR get together while there.

Alaska Don

Aug 19, 2007 11:52 AM