What is a solid fueled appliance?
Basically, it is any heater that uses wood, wood
pellets, coal or even agricultural crops – corn, for
instance - as a fuel. These appliances are items that
most people are familiar with: wood stoves, coal
stoves, wood pellet stoves, fireplaces - both masonry
and factory built.
However, if not properly installed or maintained,
they can be one of the nation’s leading causes of fire
deaths and property loss. The NFPA also recommends
having your solid fuel-burning appliance inspected
annually by a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney
Safety Institute of America (CSIA).
- Source:
National Fire Protection
Association,
Burning Issues, November/December 1997
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is
a non-profit educational foundation that has established
the only nationally recognized certification program for
chimney sweeps in the United States. The program was
developed in keeping with CSIA's commitment to chimney
and venting system safety and to the elimination of
residential chimney fires, carbon monoxide intrusion,
and other chimney-related safety hazards. CSIA devotes
its resources to educating the public, chimney service
professionals and other fire prevention specialists, and
the insurance industry about the prevention and
correction of chimney venting system hazards. To find a
CSIA Certified Sweep in your area, click
here.
- Source:
CSIA website
During the most recent reporting year (1998), the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) indicated that
49,200 home heating fires killed 388 people in the
United States. While this is the lowest number reported
in the previous 19 years, home heating fires were the
third leading cause of fire deaths. This cause is third
only to smoking and arson related fires.
-
Source: National Fire
Protection Association, U.S. Home Heating Fire
Patterns and Trends, June 2001.
Fireplaces, chimneys and chimney connectors were
responsible for 18,300 residential fires. These fires
resulted in 160 personal injuries, 40 deaths and $158.2
million in property damage.
- Source:
Consumer Product Safety
Commission
Reasons for these losses are related to improper
installation, improper maintenance, improper fueling,
improper operation and arranging household contents too
close to them. Creosote buildup in chimneys is cited as
a leading cause of fires. Annual chimney inspections
are recommend and cleaning as often as necessary.
The NFPA recommends the following to prevent the
types of fires from occurring:
- When buying a new unit, make sure it carries the
mark of an independent testing laboratory (such as U.L.
or Warncock-Hershey). Make certain that a
qualified technician installs it according to
local codes and manufacturer's instructions.
- A certified professional should inspect
fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors and wood or
coal stoves annually.
- Maintain a 36" clearance from the heater to any
combustible material unless the testing laboratory
allows for closer installation. This includes - but
is not limited to - furniture, framing and trim wood
members, sheetrock, etc.
- Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms
in your home.
-
Source: National Fire
Protection Association, U.S. Home Heating Fire
Patterns and Trends, June 2001.
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last update:
11/12/03
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