Fire prevention at home: the chimney and other risks you should not ignore
Almost no domestic heating fire is simply “bad luck”: in most of the call-outs we attend, there is an uncleaned build-up of creosote, a fire left unattended, or a detector whose batteries have been dead for months.
Almost no domestic heating fire is simply “bad luck”: in most of the call-outs we attend, there is an uncleaned build-up of creosote, a fire left unattended, or a detector whose batteries have been dead for months.
Every cold season we get a call from a frightened customer: sparks coming out of the mouth of the chimney, a strange smell that is not ordinary woodsmoke, or a noise inside the flue they had never heard before. In most cases nothing serious happens, but when we go over what went wrong, the same three ingredients almost always come up: a flue that has not been inspected for over a year, firewood that was not as dry as the customer thought, and no working smoke alarm in the house.
The warning sign almost everyone ignores: the smell
Before a flue really catches fire, it almost always gives warning. Not with smoke — with a smell. Burning creosote smells different from ordinary woodsmoke: sharper and more acrid, like a hot tyre or burning plastic, and it is usually strongest in the room above if the chimney shares a wall with another floor. If you have ever noticed it and put it down to “something from next door”, it was probably your own flue warning you.
The mistakes that really cause fires (not the ones on the generic lists)
- Lighting the fire on the first cold day without having had it checked since the previous spring. This is the most repeated pattern: people use the fireplace for six months straight and then let it “rest” without a sweep before the next season, when the flue is already carrying the creosote of the whole previous winter.
- Burning building timber or pallet wood because “it is wood after all”. This kind of timber usually carries glue, varnish or fire-retardant treatment that leaves a far stickier residue when burnt, and on top of that releases gases you should not be breathing.
- Leaving the fire to “die down” all night instead of putting it out completely. A badly extinguished ember can flare up again in a draught while you sleep.
- Smoke alarms as ornaments. We find plenty that have been up for years with no batteries, or simply disconnected because “they went off over nothing”.
The bare minimum you should have at home if you use combustion heating
- A flue inspection at least once a year if you use the fireplace often, or every two years if you use it occasionally.
- One smoke alarm per floor, genuinely tested (not just installed) at the start of the cold season.
- A carbon monoxide detector if you have a stove, a boiler or a closed fireplace — smoke does not always warn you about this.
- A small ABC powder extinguisher within reach, not stored in a box room you cannot get to in 30 seconds.
- A full metre of real distance between the fire and any furniture, curtain or log basket.
If you can already tell something is wrong
A deep, continuous roar inside the flue, together with vibration in the wall or heavy sparks coming out of the flue outlet, means a flue fire is under way. Close the fireplace air inlet if you can do so safely, get everyone out of the house and call the fire brigade — do not try to put it out with water, as that can cause a high-pressure blast of steam inside the flue. After an incident like this the flue needs a full inspection before it is lit again, even if there is no visible damage from outside.
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When did you last have your chimney checked?
A preventive inspection before the cold sets in is the most effective way to avoid nasty surprises. We work throughout Catalonia and Andorra.
Frequently asked questions
Does an ordinary smoke alarm also detect carbon monoxide?
No, they are different sensors. The smoke one reacts to visible combustion particles; the monoxide one detects a gas with no smell and no colour, so you need both devices separately.
Can I keep using the fireplace if it smells odd but I cannot see smoke inside the house?
Better not. The smell is usually the first warning, before anything becomes visible. Put it out and arrange an inspection before lighting it again.
How often should the extinguisher at home be replaced?
Most domestic ABC powder extinguishers have a service life of around 20 years, but the pressure gauge should be checked once a year.
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