Roof fire in Boulder last spring changed my approach completely

I was sweeping a chimney up on Table Mesa Drive when the homeowner said they'd been burning wet pine all winter - creosote was a quarter inch thick in spots. Has anyone else had a close call like that where you had to stop mid-job?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot_harris2515d ago

Oh come on, a quarter inch of creosote is nothing to panic about. I've seen chimneys in Boulder with over an inch of buildup from people burning kiln-dried lumber and trash for years without a single fire. The real issue is homeowners overreacting to routine maintenance jobs and calling it a "close call." Fireplaces are designed to handle some buildup, and most so-called chimney fires are just smoke alarms going off from regular operation. If you're sweeping a chimney and a quarter inch makes you stop, you're probably being too cautious and wasting the homeowner's time.

the_ray15d ago

Kiln-dried lumber and trash for years without a single fire" sounds like a winning strategy, not a ticking time bomb.