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East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service
Achieving safer and more sustainable communities

Community Safety

Main safety advice page

Chimney fire safety information

Free Smoke Alarms and
Home safety Visits

East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service offer free smoke alarms and home fire safety visits to eligible households across East Sussex and the City of Brighton & Hove.

For further information or to arrange a visit, please contact the Community Safety Team free of charge on 0800 1777069.

You can also make a request online by completing our online Home Safety Request Form

Chimney Fire Prevention Tips

Ensure your chimney is swept regularly
Keep chimneys and flues clean and well maintained
Be careful when using open fires to keep warm. Make sure you always use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks from hot embers
Ensure the fire is extinguished before going to bed or leaving the house
Never interrupt the air supply by blocking air vents or air bricks

Chimneys should be swept according to the type of fuel used

Smokeless fuels – at least once a year
Bitumous coal – at least twice a year
Wood – quarterly when in use
Oil – once a year
Gas – once a year (Any work on gas appliances requires a Gas Safe registered installer/engineer)
Ensure good quality fuel is used

Precautions with open fires

Do not overfill a fire grate in case coals fall out.
Use a spark guard.
Do not place a mirror above a fire, people may stand to close.
Do not position furniture too close to the fire.

How do I know when I have a chimney fire

A loud roaring noise, which occurs as massive amounts of air are sucked through the appliance or fireplace opening and used to oxidize the combustible fuels within the system.
Sparks and flames seen shooting from the chimney top, which can be firework like in appearance.
A glowing or shimmering appliance outlet or connector.
Vibrating appliance, outlet or connector.
Flames visible through any tiny cracks in the outlet or connector.
Smoke and odours noticeable in adjoining rooms or the loft space.
The heating up of the chimney breast or flue pipe, in the same room as the appliance and also other rooms that the flue passes through.

What to do in the event of a chimney fire

Put the spark guard on and call 999.
REMEMBER - If it is left unattended, a chimney fire can spread into the rest of the house.
Some people fear that they will be charged for the Fire Service to attend a chimney fire - this is not true.

This page was last updated on 18 September 2012

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East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service Achieving safer and more sustainable communities