Technology Creates Safer Home Heating Traditions
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While new hearth products have made fireplace
ownership much more convenient, maintenance requirements
have remained steady. Many American homeowners assume
that their chimneys only need to be cleaned and inspected
if they burn wood in their fireplaces or wood stoves.
But almost all heating appliances, whether fueled by
gas, oil, wood or coal, rely on chimneys and vents to
safely carry toxic gases, like carbon monoxide (CO),
out of the home.
This autumn, the Chimney Safety
Institute of America (CSIA) reminds homeowners that
an annual chimney inspection by a qualified professional
can significantly reduce home heating hazards.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission
reports that CO poisoning from the improper use of fuel-burning
appliances results in more than 200 deaths each year,
and approximately 10,000 visits to hospital emergency
rooms. And according to the Hardware/Homecenter Research
Industry, only 27 percent of homes in America have carbon
monoxide alarms.
Advances in chimney inspection
techniques coupled with the use of carbon monoxide alarms
can considerably reduce home heating hazards and increase
peace of mind.
“Enhancements in video inspection
equipment, paired with the three levels of chimney inspections
established by the National Fire Protection Association’s
chimney safety standards, have taken the chimney service
industry by storm,” says Mark McSweeney, CSIA’s
executive director.
“Homeowners now have physical
confirmation to support a technician’s written
documentation. The equipment allows you to see what
the technicians have seen all along.”
In addition to having your chimney
inspected regularly, experts also recommend installing
carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and
in all sleeping areas. Place them in hallways or other
large areas of the home where they can measure the overall
general atmosphere and be sure to test CO alarms according
to manufacturer’s instructions.
Look for a CO alarm with battery
backup for protection during power outages. Also, CO
alarms with electrochemical sensors provide the highest
level of accuracy to detect CO. Protection from both
fire and CO poisoning can be achieved through talking
combination units. Talking combination alarms emit a
beeping tone followed by a voice warning that clearly
states the present danger -- smoke or CO.
CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps
have earned the chimney and venting industry's most
respected credential by passing an intensive examination
based on fire codes, clearances and standards for the
construction and maintenance of chimney and venting
systems. They are also well versed in the characteristics
of fuels available for home heating such as wood, gas
and oil. This knowledge allows them to expertly diagnose
and solve chimney and venting problems.
Each fall, CSIA Certified Chimney
Sweeps work together to raise awareness of chimney safety
during National Chimney Safety Week. The awareness week
begins this year on Sept. 26 and runs through Oct. 2.
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