Chimney and woodstove safety

I came across this article that I found to be a good reminder as we begin to stoke the fireplace this winter…..

Chimney and Woodstove Fire Safety

Courtesy of THE LIFELINE

Local news from Sandy Fire District #72

A chimney that is dirty, blocked or is in disrepair can inhibit proper venting of smoke up the flue; can cause a chimney fire, and/or carbon monoxide poisoning. Nearly all residential fires originating in the chimney are preventable by a simple chimney inspection and if needed, a cleaning.

CHIMNEY SAFETY TIPS:

· Have your chimney inspected every year.

· Burn only well seasoned wood (Don’t burn trash in the fire place). Hardwoods have less creosote build-up than softwoods.

· Install a carbon monoxide detector.

· Install a chimney cap.

· Have your chimney flashing inspected and maintained.

· Keep fires the right size for the fireplace.

· Don’t use fire starters (charcoal lighter, kerosene or gasoline) to start the fire.

· Be sure the damper is open before starting a fire.

· A screen or glass doors should cover the front of the fireplace to prevent sparks from escaping out into the room.

· Woodstoves should have clearance per manufacturer’s instructions.

· Ashes should be removed and placed in a metal container well away from the home and any combustibles. Stir and ensure they are cool to the touch before being placed in a trash container that is not on a deck.

· Always supervise children. Never leave small children alone in a room with a fire.

· Fireplaces and woodstoves radiate heat just like space heaters so keep furniture and other combustibles a safe distance away.

If you think you have a chimney fire,

LEAVE the house and call 9-1-1

Sandy, Oregon District’s Main Station has flue cleaning brushes available,

17460 Bruns Ave, Sandy

Before you stop by to check out the brushes measure the size of the inside of your flue, and determine its shape. Brushes in stock are 6”, 8”, 10” and 12” and are round or square. There are many varieties of flues and each brush is designed to work with a different size and style. Information on the depth of your chimney will be useful as well. Also, please plan to return the brushes the next day so everyone has a chance to use them.

Check your local fire station to see what resources they may also have available to you.

For more information on this subject, check out this link

http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/bestburn.html

Local is better

I found this bit of info recently and thought it was worth sharing. Whether you cut your own firewood or buy it, it turns out that local firewood is probably the way to go. Check out the article at this link.

http://egov.oregon.gov/ODA/news/090916firewood_pests.shtml

Road 46

As per the Westside weekly info sheet for the Mt. Hood National Forest the woodcutting area here is any down material within 100 ft of road 46. It begins at the 46/4680 junction and continues out Road 46 for approx. 11.3 miles.

I was at this location on October 27. I found it difficult to locate quality logs in this area, as did other individuals that I spoke with on that day. Snowy conditions prevented me from accessing more than the first 6 miles.

I spoke with a Ranger (he had pulled me over to verify that I had the proper permits, DON'T FORGET YOUR PERMITS !) and he told me that the best wood was at the upper end.

In case you're wondering, yes, I had my permits.

First Post Ever !

For the purpose of this blog, my name is Axe. I'm probably better at running a saw than a blog, this is my first. It will be interesting to see where this goes and how it is received.

Why start a blog? Because yesterday I found myself in an all too familiar situation, the Forest Service had just opened a new area to wood cutting and I was one of the first to arrive. The problem was that most of the wood was rotten. So as I was trolling for a decent log to cut I thought that maybe an online resource could be utilized to help reduce the number of trips made to less than stellar locations. Why shouldn't our experiences be helpful to each other?

Now I'm obviously just one person, I can't venture out and evaluate every area open for wood cutting, but I will always share what I find. Feel free to let me know what you find out there. I would love to post your comments for the benefit of others.