Overheard a homeowner say creosote is 'just soot' and I had to bite my tongue

I was at a job in Columbus last week, cleaning out a fireplace insert, and the homeowner came down and watched me work for a bit. She said her neighbor told her creosote is basically just soot and not a big deal. I had to explain that creosote is actually a flammable tar that builds up in layers and can cause chimney fires. Has anyone else run into people thinking creosote is harmless?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_wright18d ago

That neighbor is dead wrong and that's the kind of bad advice that gets people hurt. Creosote is basically like pouring lighter fluid up your chimney if it gets thick enough. I've seen pictures of chimney fires that melted the liner and caught the roof on fire. It's hard to believe people pass that kind of info around like it's nothing. Did the homeowner actually listen to you after you explained it?

angela_wilson7819d ago

Yeah, I saw a fire safety guy post about this once. He said creosote is basically the main reason chimney fires happen, not soot. Soot is more like the fluffy black stuff that comes from burnt wood, but creosote is this sticky, tar-like layer that actually hardens over time. I remember him saying it can get up to like a half inch thick and then one hot fire just lights the whole thing up. People really don't get that it's not just dirt, it's basically fuel for your chimney.