Chimney Fire Blocking

Where a metal chimney passes through building walls or floors fire blocking or use of a fire blocking foam insulation may be required by local building codes.

Chimney fire blocking.

The effect of a chimney fire on your chimney masonry chimneys when a chimney fire occurs in a masonry chimney whether the flue is an older unlined type or tile lined to meet current safety codes the high temperatures at which they burn around 2000 f can melt mortar crack tiles cause liners to collapse and damage the outer masonry material. Those loose unfaced batts of insulation are a problem and must be sheathed over to prevent them from falling against the hot chimney and to enclose the insulated cavity so it provides the stated r value. Operating a chimney damper. The purpose of fire blocking is two fold.

There was a lot of this done to old houses probably in the era when they introduced central heat but i never hear of it anymore. The main culprit of chimney fires is creosote. Fire blocking in stud walls is required in wood framed buildings to stop drafts in the cavities between framing members. Fire stopping where chimneys pass through closets walls floors.

Covering the fireplace with a draft guard. Ironically fire blocking material does not have to be fire proof. These spaces can create drafts that will allow fire to spread readily if not dealt with. In other words these cavities can act like the flue on a fireplace and actually promote the rate in which a fire could grow.

Some fashion to block the space between the joist and the ceiling material. Measure the width and height of the fireplace opening. Also the osb must be 23 32 and all the stud bays effectively blocked. Minimize creosote build up to prevent chimney fires.

How to block drafts from a fireplace method 1 of 3. Hire a professional to install a damper if you don t have one. Most often thermal shock occurs and tiles crack and mortar is displaced which provides a pathway for flames to reach the combustible. This highly flammable dark brown substance coats chimney walls when by products of a fire.

It just has to keep the fire from getting fuel air oxygen. A blocked chimney is a danger in the event the chimney top is blocked or sealed off there is the concern that unsuspecting people may be unaware that smoke heat and creosote will not exit the home and yield a very dangerous situation. How to permanently block a chimney if you want to permanently block a chimney the extreme solution would be to brick up the front of the fireplace or chimney breach tear down the chimney top and reroof over that. Also prevents fire in the stringers from getting into the floor assemblies.

Chimney chimney at floor ceiling line fireblockingof spaces where chimneys pass through floors and ceilings.