A customer in Boise told me their fireplace 'hadn't been used in years, so it should be fine' right before I pulled a raccoon nest out of it.

What's the most surprising thing you've ever found blocking a flue?

2 comments

2 Comments

Honestly though, how big of a deal is that really? I get it's a fire risk, but a lot of that stuff is just dry leaves. Tbh my uncle's cabin had a chimney full of pine needles for like a decade and they used the fireplace every winter. Nothing ever happened. It seems like one of those things that's technically bad but in real life it's probably fine most of the time.

john64814d ago

Last summer in Spokane, a homeowner swore their chimney was clear. I found a solid three feet of packed leaves and twigs from a squirrel stash, completely blocking the pipe. It was like a giant, dry bird's nest that could have ignited in seconds. They had no idea because the damper was stuck partly open. That one still makes me shake my head.