Chimney Fires

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Cassis"]I'm guessing that Steve was counting down my posts at that time ...

[/quote]

Correct, 6 to go   [:P]

[Dick Smith]

5 now. He's really on a roll, answering a post on mobile phone charges. You gotta admit da sausage got style!

[powerdesal]

sausage roll ????[:P]

[Dick Smith]

Ho ho ho.

Now down to 4 after posting a previously seen picture. Is the strain beginning to show?

[Cassis]

I was going to say that but I thought it would be a cheap post. [;-)]

[Mikey]

Llwyncelyn   you need a flue modulator. You fit it on a T between stove and flue, then asjust it as needed. What it does is instead of drawing too much air through badly fitting doors or a not so airtight fire box it draws excess air through a flap on the modulator therefore making your stove much much more effeciant and giving more heat in the room.

If once all your dampers and air vents a closed on your stove you still get a roaring fire then air is getting in through badly fitting door, which is common on some French stoves like Supra.

i used to have that problem on one of my stoves, so much so that the door used to whistle. I then fitted one of those flaps that goes in the flue but that didn't do a thing as the draw was so good, then a chimney specialist in Rennes told me about the modulator.

[Ergotherpeut1]

I have to admit to being apprehensive following the departure of the firemen (for they were all men), will I be asked for a certificate showing the chimney had been swept,  will I get a bill for the call out.  Our neighbours (French) advised that I would not get a bill.  I will post something if I do get one in the new year.

As stated our damage was none/minimal.  The guy fitting the carpet informed us that part of his roof and chimney breast/wall collapsed following his fire, he further informed us that the insurance company paid for the works but that he did have a certificate proving the chimney had been swept.  I was/am unsure of my situation regarding sweeping/insurance and am grateful for those who have posted further on this.

I had also been trying to find a professional sweep, the guy fitting the carpet advised me to look in the yellow pages under 'plumber' I have found some in my region offering this service but have yet to be able to book one!  I will continue to sweep my own on a regular basis, as Clair does, and hopefully have it swept once a year professionally.  As with the other posts regarding finding a sweep I too think that there is a gap in market for a new sweeping service provider.  Does anyone know what kind of training you need to undertake to offer this service, I know a few people looking for a new employment/training opportunity

[cooperlola]

Look under Ramonage in the pages jaunes, not plumbers.

This is quite a good site

http://perso.orange.fr/ramonages-chaudouard/leramonage.htm

[5-element]

Mikey - you mention that the SUPRA inserts have badly fitting doors - is that a general rule? We bought a SUPRA because our installer advised it 4 years ago, and we didn't know any better. I notice now that the piece of "ribbon" that lines the whole of the door is beginning to be frayed, and wondered whether it was affecting the tightness of the fitting. Would you be able to say a little more about those SUPRA fires? Aren't they any good, in your opinion? You do sound like an expert!

Ergotherpeut - I will be interested to see whether you get charged by the firemen, thank you for giving more details... as for training for chimney sweepers, I also was told earlier that usually, it is plumbers who do come and sweep chimneys. Which, given how difficult it is to get a plumber to do any job, since there is supposed to be a shortage of plumbers, maybe that explains the lack of chimney sweepers. Perhaps training as a plumber would be the right training? So it is not only under "ramonage" that you could find someone to sweep your chimney. The kind of plumbers who also do chimney-sweeping will indicate that they do "chaufferie" also.

 I also got the impression (at least around here) that chimney sweeping is a seasonal occupation, and that none of them would do it outside the season! (a bit like trying to sell lily of the valley on another day than May 1st!)

 

[cooperlola]

You should really replace the ribbon/rope door seal on woodburners etc every couple of years.  Haven't needed to do it in France yet but in the UK it was available to buy in our local stove shop along with the appropriate adhesive.

Mikey's flue modulators work a treat, made a huge difference to our stove and its regulate-ability!

[Mikey]

 5-element,  me an expert,  nope.  Just speaking from experience, over the yrs I've had 5 woodburning stoves, 1 being a supra which i still have in my bedroom and use a modulator with it. Do all supras have bad fitting doors? i know mine does and everyone i know that has the same model HF5960 has noted the same. They look like a big TV, brown caseing and thermostate on right hand side. As mentioned before  you can change the seal if its worn but if it has a bad fitting door that won't make any differance. i bought mine from new and it worked very well in the 1st house it was in, then I fitted it into my other house and because the chimney was double the height the draw was incredible so i fitted the modulator as the flap you can fit inside the flue made no differance.

The door to any firbox should be air tight, if its not then you can't control the airflow and burn rate. and if you have a good draw on your chimney not only will you be burning lots of wood uncontrolably but most of the heat will also be going straight up the chimney.

Just for info for anyone wanting a stove. you don't have to buy very very expensive stoves to get good results. The best value for money stove i ever bought was an £80 dustbin type stove from Weldom. very basic looking, no door with window, just a dustbin lid. it was 12kw and really really chucked out the heat, and a fill up would last all night easily.

 

[Mikey]

oh and for a sweep also look up roofers as they also do sweeping during the heating season.

[Llwyncelyn]

Hi Mikey thanks for that I am going to get the supplier in next week.  Know need to understand what the French is for flue modulator and I am going to have a go at translating your response and see where that takes us.  Cannot remember our model but it is Belgian we used to have a Franco Belge but the installer left the tubage innox hanging about above the wood burner and it was and nearly was a disaster.  He was more a basic plumber as against a wood burner guy and it showed.

take care good holiday to everyone now closing down for a rest and no doubt the PC will enjoy its annual rest as well.

kindest regards

[Mikey]

Llwyncelyn, i've just had a look at mine and its called a MODERATOR. From memory mine cost about 600ff about 4 yrs ago. i think that included the T piece needed. Its a disk within a disk. The outer disk is numbered 1-3 and the inner disk has a flap on it  that rotates so you can set it betweeen 1 and 3, depending on the setting it draws more air through inner disk instead of through your firebox. very clever bit of kit.

I've never seen them on sale in the big DIY sheds, i got mine from a specialist shop in Rennes that sells and installs wood burning stoves.

I believe its a big chain and are all over France, i'll look for an invoice and let you know what they are called. They only sell to the trade and prices are very good, I'm not trade but if you know exactly what it is you want, sizes etc they'll serve you.

[Deimos]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Oh and Clair you just reminded me - re the stainless flue liners - you must not use a chemical cleaner.[/quote]

 I have a stainless tube connected to my woodburner) and use the powders (normally sachets) weekly to help keep it a bit cleaner (plus professionally swept each year). Company who installed it said they were OK and the guy who swept it thought said to continue but the tube very expensive so I really do not want to damage it. when you say "no chemical cleaners" does this include the powders that you burn in the fire ?

Many thanks

Ian

[Pun]

The timing for cleaning the flu and chimney is not now "winter" it should have been done in the summer when the fire /woodburners are not being used,

and what about smoke alarm, if you 've not got any now????? get them this weekend and fit them and test them,

if you do have alarms now?? test them this minute. do they work?? will you sleep safe tonight?

How many people know what to do or what not to do if you have a chip-pan fire. all this info is waiting for your collection at the local fire station and in some cases the mairies, and your insurance company should be asked by you (befor) you have a chimney fire, if they require any certificate showing you've had the chimney swept,

It's to late after the fire, and very costly if you've not found out.

Note in your diary, chimney sweeping  june 1st 2007. and the day this work was done. "you'll feel better knowing you tried."

[Llwyncelyn]

Thanks Mikey the dealer does not open until the 2nd apparently he has gone somewhere warm on holidays!  That is Normandie for you. When he comes back I am going to get him in for even closing every air in-let we do seem to be using a lot more logs than the Franco Belge.  Yes this is a 'green' wood burner but something is wrong.

 

take care and best wishes.

 

 

[Loiseau]

I have an open fireplace in my residence secondaire. It is fitted with a "trappe", a swivelling metal flap a short way up the chimney that can be closed by pulling a little chain. 

I keep it in the "open" position normally, but have often wondered whether, in the event of a chimney fire, it would be a good idea to close it to cut off the draught?

Angela

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Deimos"]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Oh and Clair you just reminded me - re the stainless flue liners - you must not use a chemical cleaner.[/quote]

 I have a stainless tube connected to my woodburner) and use the powders (normally sachets) weekly to help keep it a bit cleaner (plus professionally swept each year). Company who installed it said they were OK and the guy who swept it thought said to continue but the tube very expensive so I really do not want to damage it. when you say "no chemical cleaners" does this include the powders that you burn in the fire ?

Many thanks

Ian

[/quote]I bought a chemical cleaner (in powder form) and it clearly said on the packet that it should not be used on stainless steel chimney liners!  Perhaps some are OK - although the guy who installed mine said to avoid them.  I guess the best thing is to read the packet carefully.

[Deimos]

Well, having just got back from a week away for Christmas, last night I lit my fire and it would not "draw" any air up the chimney at all !!. Room full(ish) of smoke. Not just a restriction but seems a total blockage. I know its clean as it was swept in Oct and has only been used for around 10 evenings since. I guess something has decided to make their home in the chimney.

Ian

[Bugsy]

[quote user="Deimos"]

 I guess something has decided to make their home in the chimney.

Ian

[/quote]

It's not a bloke dressed in Red, with a big white beard, is it ?  

[Lou]

When I read the post saying "do not use chemical products in your stainless steel flue", I checked the one we have been using - and it specifically says it's ok to use for stainless steel flues.  Whichever chemical it is that you shouldn't use (can't remember what it's called!) corrodes the steel. 

Lou

[powerdesal]

Lou,

Can you name the one you use please.

[cooperlola]

Yup, would be interesting and useful.

[Deimos]

I had a check on the packet I use yesterday (purchased from Leroy Merlin) and there is a little white printed sticker thing on the box that says "suitable for all chimneys, including stainless" (but in French) - which suggests to me that some types are not (or they would not bother to print that on the box).

I have found that most places tend to sell only one type of powder (maybe sachets and also containers - but the same brand).

Ian