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Found out 90% of chimney fires start in the smoke chamber, not the flue
I was reading a report from the Chimney Safety Institute of America last night and that stat really caught me off guard. Has anyone else been focusing too much on just the flue and not checking that area close enough?
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vera_johnson91mo ago
Seems like most of those stats come from rental properties with cheap prefab fireboxes.
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anderson.piper1mo ago
Three brothers of mine all bought new builds in the same development back in 2019, and the fireboxes were these thin metal things that looked like they'd rust out in five years. In my experience, builders cut corners everywhere they can get away with it, not just on fireplaces but on insulation, windows, and even the subfloor. Take it with a grain of salt, but I'd bet those rental property stats are just the tip of the iceberg for how cheaply things are being put together these days.
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betty_wells1mo ago
Wait, you're telling me builders actually put that cheap junk in NEW construction and not just old rentals? I used to think new builds were the gold standard, that if you paid for something fresh you got quality. But I remember my cousin bought a 2020 house and the fireplace surround cracked within a year, just from the heat. And the windows in that place were so drafty you could feel the cold air coming through the frames. You're right though, if they're skimping on fireboxes and subfloors, it makes me wonder what else is hidden behind the drywall. I guess I was naive to think builders cared about anything past the closing date.
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