December 21, 1995
95-038
Selkirk Metalbestos has issued a warning bulletin about the potential fire risks associated with the corrosion of chimneys. Selkirk manufactures the Model CC factory-built chimney which can be identified by the ULC label “CC-SS”. A copy of the Chimney Warning Bulletin is attached to this Communiqué;.
Fire departments may receive inquiries from the public on Selkirk’s Chimney Warning Bulletin. Callers should be advised of the potential fire and health risks associated with the failure to inspect and maintain chimneys serving all types of heating appliances.
With the heating season upon us, the public must be reminded that all types of chimneys are susceptible to deterioration over time or may become damaged as a result of a chimney fire. If the deterioration or damage is not repaired, it may cause a fire or contribute to an incident involving carbon monoxide poisoning. Therefore, chimneys should be inspected annually and after any chimney fire.
Every chimney, flue and flue pipe should be inspected to determine if a dangerous condition exists. The chimney, flue and flue pipe should be repaired or replaced to eliminate any deficiencies such as cracking, settling, crumbling mortar, distortion, corrosion, separation of sections and loose or broken supports. Abandoned or unused openings (breech) must be sealed effectively to prevent the passage of fire or smoke. To determine if an existing chimney is safe, all portions of the chimney should be inspected, particularly portions that are located in concealed and inaccessible spaces. The degree to which these portions are inspected is up to the individual homeowner. The presence of deposits of soot or creosote in excess of 3 mm thick in a chimney or flue will indicate that immediate cleaning, possible modification to burning procedures and more frequent inspections need to be conducted.
Homeowners should be informed that data from reported fire incidents and chimney service technician reports involving mass-insulated factory-built chimneys have reaffirmed that corrosion can occur in chimney sections located in concealed attic, wall and chase spaces of the home. Sections of stainless steel mass-insulated factory-built chimneys exhibiting perforations greater than ¼ of an inch on the outer liner due to corrosion or a perforation of any size found on the inner liner should be replaced. As the rate of corrosion in these types of chimneys cannot be determined, it is impossible to estimate how quickly a perforation will expand. Therefore, if a chimney section exhibits a perforation of less than ¼ of an inch, consideration should be given to having that section replaced or inspected frequently to monitor expansion of the corroded area.
For additional information on chimneys, please refer to the OFM’s Communiqué;s (#95-026, #94-013, #94-003, #94-002, 93-004, 91-033 and articles in the Ontario Fire Service Messenger (January/February 1994, September/October 1993, March/April 1993, July/August 1992).
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