Solid Fueled Appliances Safety
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.
- 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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