Chimney and Furnace Fires

While most property management companies defer this type of maintenance to the owner or ignore it all together, we believe this to be a safety requirement and schedule service and maintenance annually.

• While fire presents a year-round risk, chimney and furnace fires are the causes of fires most frequently in the winter months.

• The residential structure fire problem represented approximately 81 percent of all fire deaths and 79 percent of the injuries to civilians in 2006.

• Between 1997 and 2006, an average of 3,090 civilians lost their lives and another 15,340 were injured annually as the result of residential structure fires, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

• 43 percent of home fire deaths occur in homes without smoke alarms.

Approximately 25,000 residential fires begin in a fireplace or chimney every year.  Why? Over time, a layer of unburned creosote (a carbon-based residue on the walls of the chimney) and can eventually catch fire. The solution is to have a chimneysweep clean and inspect your chimney annually.

An annual inspection of the furnace and broiler is just as important for general maintenance and as a safety check. Never store flammable items near the furnace, broiler, fireplace, woodstove or water heater and share this information with your tenants. Many are unaware of these hazards and the more information is shared, the safer every rental home or apartment will be. Obviously, a better relationship is developed with your tenant.

Request your property management company schedule a professional inspection each year of all fuel-burning home heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues and vents. Many furnace and chimney sweeps will schedule a maintenance review on an annual basis, offering a discount for advanced scheduling. This service is scheduled with the property manager then with the tenant. During this inspection, each smoke detector should be checked and repairs or replacement (which should be done every 10 years) made at that time.

For additional information on this and other renting articles, please visit our web site at
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