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My grandpa told me to always burn seasoned oak in the fireplace, not pine
He said pine would gum up the chimney with creosote, but I figured what did he know, right? After a chimney fire that cracked half the flue tiles last winter, I finally get why he kept saying it. Anyone else have an older relative give advice that seemed old-fashioned but turned out to be dead on?
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ninal911mo ago
...and how bad was the damage in the end? Like, did you have to replace the whole flue or just a section? That sounds terrifying honestly, I've heard stories of chimney fires that get out of control and take the whole house with them. Did your grandpa ever actually show you what creosote buildup looks like, or did he just say "don't burn pine" and leave it at that?
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grace4191mo ago
Nah I was the same way honestly. I thought my uncle was just being dramatic when he said I needed to get my chimney cleaned every season, especially after burning pine. I figured a little smoke never hurt anyone right? Then I saw the inside of my flue after a year of burning whatever scrap wood I could find and it looked like someone had painted the walls with tar. That stuff was hard and shiny like a rock. I had to get a professional sweep to chip it out and he showed me how it was already starting to crack the tiles from the heat. Now I listen to every single thing that man says about firewood and I pass it along to anyone who will listen. Did you have to replace the whole flue or just that cracked section?
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