Chimney Fires: Why the Claim Is Bigger Than It Looks
Soot on the hearth and a scorched breast are the visible part. The flue is the expensive part.
The most under-settled claim we see
A chimney fire looks like a cleaning job. Soot across the hearth, staining on the chimney breast, a smell through the house. Settlements are offered on that basis — sweep, wash down, redecorate — and they are accepted, because the figure looks reasonable against what the owner can see. The problem is what the owner cannot see.
The flue is the claim
A chimney fire burns at temperatures high enough to crack clay liners, spall brickwork and destroy the mortar joints between flue sections. A flue that is cracked or open at the joints leaks combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, into the structure of the house. It cannot be certified for further use until it is relined or rebuilt. Relining a two-storey chimney is a substantial job, and a settlement that covers sweeping and redecoration leaves you with a fireplace you cannot legally or safely light.
Heat damage in the roof space
Chimney breasts pass through the roof structure, and structural timbers are often built into or hard against the masonry. Prolonged heat chars and weakens those timbers, and the damage is invisible from the rooms below. Any chimney fire claim should include an inspection of the roof void, and where charring is found, the affected rafters and purlins need assessment by an engineer rather than a glance.
Smoke through the house
Smoke and soot from a chimney fire travels further than people expect, into soft furnishings, carpets, clothing, curtains and cavities. The odour persists after surfaces look clean. Some items respond to specialist cleaning and some do not, and the distinction matters to the figure. Contents are frequently omitted from chimney fire claims altogether.
What to do
Have the fire service attend and get their report. Do not light the fire again under any circumstances until the flue has been inspected and certified — a weakened flue is a carbon monoxide risk. Have a competent chimney engineer carry out a camera survey of the full flue and put the findings in writing. Photograph everything. Then notify the claim.
Before you accept an offer
Ask what it includes for the flue, for the roof timbers and for contents. If the answer to any of those is nothing, the offer is addressing the appearance of the damage rather than the damage. We handle chimney fire claims regularly across east Galway. First consultation free — 085 268 7871.
Dealing with a claim right now?
The first consultation is free and there is no obligation. Call 085 268 7871 or send us the details of your claim.
Call 085 268 7871