Fireplace Safety Before the First Fire: The Inspection, the Checks You Can Do, and How to Burn Safely

When you buy a house with a fireplace, you may not know when the chimney was last swept, whether anything is nesting in the flue, or whether the last fire damaged it. The national standard, NFPA 211, reads, as the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) quotes it: "Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances." CSIA adds that this applies even to a chimney that rarely gets used, because animals may nest in the flue and the chimney can deteriorate on its own.

Below: the inspection to book, the checks you can do from the room, burning a wood fire safely, gas fireplaces, and chimney fire signs. It expands the chimney step in our fall checklist.

Before You Start: Book the Chimney Inspection

NFPA 211 defines three levels of inspection. In CSIA's procedures, Level 1 is the routine annual inspection of the readily accessible parts, confirming the flue isn't blocked. Level 2 adds a video scan of the chimney's interior and an inspection of the roof, attic, basement, and crawl space where the chimney runs. CSIA recommends a Level 2 when a property is sold, after a chimney fire or a weather or seismic event, and when the appliance or fuel changes. If you don't know whether one was done when you bought the house, ask for a Level 2 before the first fire.

Hire a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep. CSIA warns that in a mostly unregulated trade, "not all certifications are created equal"; its certified sweeps pass an exam, agree to a code of ethics, and recertify every three years. Check them in CSIA's Find a Pro locator, which searches by city, state, ZIP code, or keyword. Ask for the inspection by level; CSIA says that if a sweep doesn't know what a Level 1 is, find one who does. For gas fireplaces, the National Fireplace Institute certifies hearth technicians by fuel type, gas included.

Step-by-Step

Check the fireplace from the room

These checks don't replace the sweep. Stay off the roof; the crown, cap, and flashing are the sweep's job.

1. Work the damper. This hinged plate seals the flue when the fireplace is idle, and it should move freely and open fully. CSIA says to confirm it is fully open with a flashlight before every fire, because a closed damper means a smoky room at best and a fire hazard at worst.
2. Look up the flue with the flashlight for nests, leaves, or fallen debris. Don't try to clear a blockage yourself; call the sweep.
3. Inspect the firebox. From CSIA's Level 1 checklist, note for the sweep: cracked or damaged firebrick, loose or missing mortar, a gap where the hearth meets the firebox, rust or warped metal in a steel firebox, and staining above the opening, a sign smoke has spilled into the room.
4. Check the screen and glass doors. The USFA and NFPA call for a screen in front of the fireplace to keep sparks and embers from jumping out. Repair or replace a damaged screen or door. CSIA lists closed glass doors among the things that restrict air and speed creosote buildup, so follow the door maker's instructions.
5. Clear three feet. The NFPA says to keep anything that can burn "at least three-feet (one metre) away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater," and to keep a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires. That includes curtains, furniture, books, and the firewood you bring inside.
6. Test the smoke and CO alarms. The NFPA says to test both at least once a month. CO alarms go on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, and every alarm is replaced by its replace-by date. Our alarm testing guide walks through it.

Light and burn a wood fire

1. Burn only dry, seasoned wood. The EPA's Burn Wise guidance says wood burns best at a moisture content of less than 20 percent, tested with a wood moisture meter. Season split wood at least six months outdoors, off the ground, with only the top covered. Seasoned wood is darker, weighs less, and sounds hollow when knocked against another piece.
2. Open the damper fully and confirm it with the flashlight.
3. Start small, then burn hot. Use small, dry kindling and an all-natural fire starter, and add small pieces of firewood once it is burning well. The EPA says a smoldering fire is neither safe nor efficient for most appliances.
4. Never use gasoline, kerosene, or charcoal starter to light it (EPA).
5. Burn nothing but firewood. CSIA's answer to what you can burn is "only well-seasoned wood," and the USFA says not to burn paper. The EPA's do-not-burn list includes household trash such as cardboard, plastics, foam, and the colored ink on magazines, boxes, and wrappers; coated, painted, or pressure-treated wood; plywood and particle board; and wet or moldy wood.
6. Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home, in the USFA's words. Leave the damper open until the ashes are cool; the CPSC says an open damper may help prevent a buildup of poisonous gases.
7. Take the ashes outside. Let them cool first. The USFA says to put ashes in a metal container with a lid and place it outside at least 10 feet from your home; the EPA adds a nonflammable surface under it.

The EPA also says to keep a fire extinguisher handy. Use it only on a small fire that has just started and isn't growing, once everyone else is out and 911 has been called; our fire extinguisher guide lists the NFPA's conditions. A chimney fire is not one of them: get out and call 911.

Gas fireplaces

• Book a yearly technician inspection. Valor's manual says the fireplace and its vent should be inspected before first use and at least annually by a professional, and Kozy Heat's says an annual inspection is required to keep the warranty. CSIA says chimneys serving gas appliances need yearly inspection too, because nests and debris can block them.
• Read the manual before the first firing and follow its lighting steps exactly; the manufacturer can supply a missing one.
• Respect the glass. The CPSC warns that a gas fireplace's glass front can reach 500°F or even 1,000°F, and children can be badly burned touching it. New gas fireplaces have come with a protective barrier since January 1, 2015; use it, add a retrofit barrier or safety gate to an older one, and supervise young children. Valor notes the glass stays hot long after the fireplace is turned off.
• Don't run it with the glass cracked, broken, or removed, per both manuals; a qualified service person replaces it.
• Keep the outside vent clear. Valor says to check the vent cap regularly for debris, plants, and shrubs, and the NFPA says to clear fireplace vents of snow during and after a storm.
• Keep the remote out of children's reach. Valor's manual says to keep it out of reach of children at all times and to store it in its wall holster.

What Normal Looks Like

The EPA says a properly installed, correctly used wood-burning appliance should make very little smoke, and that if you regularly see or smell smoke, you may have a problem. If smoke spills into the room, confirm the damper is fully open; if it keeps happening, stop using the fireplace until the sweep has looked.

Creosote and Chimney Fires

As wood smoke cools in the flue, it leaves creosote on the walls: black or brown, flaky, sticky, or shiny and hard. CSIA says every form is highly combustible, and that unseasoned wood, a damper not opened wide enough, closed glass doors, and a cool chimney all speed its buildup. CSIA recommends sweeping masonry fireplaces at 1/8 inch of sooty buildup, and sooner if there is any glaze.

CSIA describes a chimney fire as loud cracking and popping, a lot of dense smoke, and an intense, hot smell, sometimes with flames or smoke shooting from the top and a low rumble like a freight train. It calls the event extremely dangerous and says to call 911 immediately: get everyone out and call from outside. Slow-burning chimney fires often go unnoticed; CSIA's signs of a past chimney fire include creosote flakes on the roof or ground, a distorted rain cap, and cracked exterior masonry. After a suspected chimney fire, CSIA says not to use the chimney until a qualified professional has swept and evaluated it.

When to Call a Pro

Call a CSIA-certified sweep for a blocked flue, damaged firebrick or mortar, smoke spilling into the room, or signs of a chimney fire. Roof work and all chimney masonry and liner repairs belong to the sweep or a roofer; our DIY vs. hire a pro guide puts chimney masonry in the hire-it-out column. On a gas fireplace, the pilot, burner, gas valve, glass, and vent belong to a qualified technician, including a pilot that won't light or stay lit.

How Often

Inspect every year before burning season, and sweep a masonry fireplace at 1/8 inch of buildup or any glaze. Gas fireplaces get a technician check each heating season. Our maintenance calendar puts the chimney booking in September.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to use the fireplace in a house I just bought?

Not until it has been inspected. NFPA 211 calls for an inspection at least once a year, and CSIA recommends a Level 2 when a property is sold; if one wasn't done at your purchase, book it before the first fire.

Do gas fireplaces need to be inspected every year?

Yes. Valor and Kozy Heat both call for an annual inspection by a qualified technician, and CSIA says chimneys serving gas appliances need one too.

What should I do if I think my chimney is on fire?

Get everyone out and call 911 from outside. Don't use the fireplace again until a qualified chimney professional has swept and evaluated it.

The Bottom Line

Have a CSIA-certified sweep inspect the chimney first, a Level 2 if the house just changed hands. Check the damper, flue, firebox, screen, and alarms, and clear three feet. Burn only dry wood, never use gasoline, put the fire out before bed, and take cooled ashes outside in a lidded metal can at least 10 feet from the house. Gas fireplaces get a yearly technician check and a barrier in front of the glass. If you smell gas or hear a chimney fire, get out and call from outside.

Sources