Chimney emergencies in Bourbonnais: what to do right now
A chimney fire, a carbon monoxide alarm, a blocked flue, smoke backing into the room, or a chimney that has suddenly moved. Here is what each one means, the steps to take in the moment, and when to call 911 first.
Some chimney problems can wait for a scheduled visit. Five cannot. This page walks through each acute situation in depth: what it is and what causes it, the full picture of warning signs, the exact steps to take in the moment, why it is urgent, and what we check afterward so it does not happen again. A person answers our phone from 7am to 9pm, seven days a week. When life or safety is at risk, though, the fire department comes first.
Call 911 first for any of these
- A loud roar, rumbling or rapid popping from the chimney, or flames or dense smoke from the top. That is a chimney fire. Get everyone out first.
- A carbon monoxide alarm sounding, or anyone dizzy, nauseous, confused or with a headache near a running fireplace, furnace or water heater.
- Any sign of fire or smoke entering a wall, the attic or the roof.
- A chimney that is actively shedding brick, leaning, or was just struck by lightning.
Once everyone is safe and the fire department has cleared the house, call Friendship Chimney Sweep at (815) 449-4264 and leave the fireplace or appliance off until we have inspected it.
A chimney fire
A chimney fire is creosote igniting inside the flue. That tar-like residue, left behind by every wood fire, can burn above 2,000 degrees, hot enough to crack clay tile, buckle a steel liner and push flame through to the wood framing around the chimney. Some chimney fires are loud and violent, with a roar you can hear across the house. Many are slow and nearly silent, smoldering for several minutes without anyone in the living room noticing. Either kind damages the chimney, and a quiet one is more dangerous because it gives no warning before the next fire breaches a cracked flue into the walls.
Warning signs
- A loud roaring or rumbling from the chimney, often compared to a freight train or a low-flying jet
- Sharp popping, cracking or snapping sounds from inside the flue
- Dense smoke, sparks or flames shooting from the top of the chimney, visible from outside or to a neighbor
- A strong, hot, tar-like smell and sometimes a vibration you can feel in the hearth
- Glowing or flaming chunks of creosote dropping onto the roof or the lawn around the base
What to do right now
- Get every person and pet out of the house immediately. A chimney fire can spread into the structure faster than you can assess it.
- Call 911 from outside. Tell them it is a chimney fire so they bring the right equipment.
- Only if you can do it in seconds on your way out, close the glass doors or the damper to starve the fire of air, and discharge a chimney-fire suppressant (a dry-chemical “chimney flare”) into the firebox if you keep one. Never let this delay getting out.
- Do not pour water down the flue. The thermal shock cracks a hot liner and the steam can burst it.
- Keep the fire department informed if you hear the fire travelling or see smoke entering a wall, an attic or the roof.
- Do not relight the fireplace, not even the next day, until the chimney has been inspected.
Why it is urgent: A chimney fire rarely stays in the flue. The heat conducts through cracked tile and old mortar into the framing, where a fire can smolder for hours after the flue looks cold, then flare up in the attic. Even when the house is spared, the flue almost always suffers damage you cannot see from the firebox.
After the emergency: what we check
Once the fire department has released the home, treat the fireplace as out of service until we have run a Level 2 camera inspection of the full flue. We document cracked or displaced tiles, a buckled or discolored liner, failed mortar joints and any heat damage to nearby framing, with photographs written up for your insurance claim. Most chimneys that have had a fire need relining before they can be used again, and we tell you plainly which parts are sound and which are not.
A carbon monoxide leak
Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of incomplete combustion, and it is the one chimney hazard you cannot see, smell or taste. It comes from a fireplace or appliance that is not burning cleanly or not venting properly: a blocked flue, a cracked furnace heat exchanger, a gas fireplace running dirty, a downdraft pushing exhaust back into the room, or a furnace and water heater vented into a masonry flue that has partly collapsed. In the tightly built homes around Bourbonnais and Bradley, a kitchen or bath fan can be enough to pull that exhaust back inside. Because it has no odor, people often mistake the early symptoms for the flu and go to bed, which is how carbon monoxide becomes fatal.
Warning signs
- A carbon monoxide alarm sounding (the steady four-beep pattern, not the single low-battery chirp)
- Headache, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath or unusual fatigue that eases when you leave the house and returns when you come back
- Several people, or the pets, feeling unwell at the same time
- A lazy yellow or orange flame on a gas fireplace that should burn blue, with soot on the glass or logs
- Heavy condensation on the windows near a running appliance, or a stuffy, stale feeling in the room
What to do right now
- Get everyone and every pet outside into fresh air right away. Do not stop to open windows or investigate first.
- Call 911 from outside or from a neighbor. Ask for anyone with symptoms to be checked.
- If, and only if, you pass it on the way out, switch off the fireplace, furnace or appliance you suspect.
- Do not go back inside for any reason until the fire department or the gas utility says the level is safe.
- Tell the responders how many people were inside and who has symptoms, so they can prioritise care.
- Leave the appliance off until the cause has been found and corrected.
Why it is urgent: Carbon monoxide binds to the blood far more readily than oxygen, so even a low level over a few hours is dangerous, and a high level can cause collapse within minutes. Sleeping occupants may never wake. A working alarm on every level of the house is the only reliable early warning.
After the emergency: what we check
Finding the source is the whole job. We test the fireplace or appliance, run a camera up the flue to look for a blockage or a collapsed liner, check for backdrafting under the conditions that set the alarm off, and verify the venting on any gas appliance. A gas fireplace tune-up includes a carbon monoxide test as a matter of course, and a corroded or undersized flue serving a furnace is often corrected with a properly sized stainless liner.
A severe flue blockage
A flue is only useful if it is clear from the firebox to the cap. When something fills it, the smoke and the carbon monoxide that should go up the chimney have nowhere to go but back into the room. The usual culprits in Kankakee County are animal nests, a bird, squirrel or raccoon that fell in and died, a cap that was never installed, a section of clay tile or a steel liner that has collapsed, a drift of leaves, or a heavy band of glazed creosote that has nearly closed the flue. Chimney swifts, which are federally protected while nesting, pack flues here every summer. A blockage is an emergency the moment you light a fire against it.
Warning signs
- Smoke pouring into the room as soon as you light the fire, instead of drawing up
- A strong smoky or sooty smell throughout the house when the fireplace is in use
- A carbon monoxide alarm sounding when a gas fireplace, furnace or water heater on that flue runs
- Little or no draft you can feel at the open damper, where you would normally feel a pull of air
- Scratching, flapping or chirping sounds from the chimney, which point to a live animal
- Visible debris, twigs or nesting material in the firebox or on the smoke shelf
What to do right now
- Put the fire out. Smother it or let it die down rather than throwing water on a roaring fire, which creates a cloud of steam and ash.
- Open windows and doors to clear the smoke and bring in fresh air.
- Shut off any gas appliance that vents into the same chimney.
- If anyone feels lightheaded, nauseous or short of breath, or a carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, get everyone out and call 911.
- Leave the damper open so the flue can vent whatever is trapped as it clears.
- Do not relight and do not try to force the blockage down with a pole, which can pack it tighter or damage the liner.
Why it is urgent: A blocked flue sends combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, straight back into the living space. Pushing a fire harder to overcome a blockage is also the classic way a chimney fire starts, because the smoke stalls and deposits creosote right where the heat is greatest.
After the emergency: what we check
We run a camera to find the blockage and identify exactly what it is before anything is removed, because a dead animal, a nest and a collapsed liner call for very different work. We clear debris and nests (respecting the protections on nesting swifts and advising you when the flue can legally be opened), check whether the blockage damaged the liner, and finish by installing a stainless cap with a spark-arresting screen so the next animal or storm cannot do it again.
Smoke backdrafting into the house
Backdrafting is the flue running in reverse: instead of carrying smoke up and out, the chimney pulls air and smoke down into the room. It happens when the forces that should drive the draft are overpowered. A cold flue on a winter morning is full of heavy, dense air that sits in the chimney like a plug. A tightly sealed house with a range hood, bath fans and a dryer all running creates negative pressure that draws replacement air down the easiest opening, which is often the chimney. Wind sweeping over a roofline, a chimney built too short, or a flue far too large for the fireplace all do the same thing. A little smoke on startup is common; a room filling with smoke is an emergency.
Warning signs
- Smoke rolling out of the fireplace opening when you light up, or part way through a burn
- A smoky smell spreading through the house while the fire is going
- Smoke that spills the moment you switch on the kitchen range hood, a bath fan or the clothes dryer
- Backdrafting that is noticeably worse on windy days or when the wind comes from one direction
- Dark staining on the wall or mantel above the fireplace opening
What to do right now
- Open a window near the fireplace to give the house an easier source of make-up air than the chimney.
- Turn off every exhaust fan in the house: the range hood, bathroom fans and, if possible, the dryer.
- Confirm the damper is fully open. A damper stuck part way is a common and simple cause.
- If the room is filling with smoke, put the fire out and ventilate the house before the smoke spreads to the bedrooms.
- If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or anyone feels unwell, get everyone outside and call 911.
Why it is urgent: A fireplace that backdrafts is also venting carbon monoxide into the home, not just nuisance smoke. Smoke damage spreads through a house quickly, and a draft problem that forces you to run the fire hot to overcome it accelerates creosote buildup and the risk of a chimney fire.
After the emergency: what we check
We measure the draft and work out which force is winning: a cold or oversized flue, negative pressure from the house, a partial blockage, or wind over a short chimney. Depending on the cause we recommend a top-sealing damper or a downdraft-correcting cap, a correctly sized liner, a taller termination, or a dedicated make-up air supply near the hearth. The symptoms guide walks through how these causes tell themselves apart.
Sudden structural damage
Most chimney masonry fails slowly, over many winters of freeze and thaw. Sometimes it fails all at once: a chimney that leans away from the house after a storm, a top section that sheds brick onto the roof, a crown that cracks through in a hard freeze, a lightning strike, or an impact from a fallen limb or a vehicle. In our climate the hidden driver is water that soaked into the brick and mortar over years, froze, and finally pushed a weakened section past the point where it could hold. However it happens, a chimney that has moved or lost material is both a falling hazard and, if the flue is cracked, a fire and carbon monoxide hazard.
Warning signs
- A visible lean, or a gap opening up where the chimney meets the roof or the wall of the house
- Brick, chunks of mortar or pieces of the crown on the roof, in the gutters or on the ground
- A crown that is cracked through, sunken or shifted out of place
- New cracks in the fireplace, the hearth or the wall and ceiling next to the chimney
- Daylight or fresh water visible inside the firebox or smoke chamber
- A burning smell, or any sign of fire, after a lightning strike
What to do right now
- Keep everyone clear of the fall line, both the area outside under the chimney and the rooms directly beside and below it indoors.
- Do not light a fire. A shifted chimney may have a breached flue that would leak fire or gas into the structure.
- If lightning struck the chimney, treat it as a possible hidden fire: get out and call 911, because a strike can ignite framing inside the chase.
- Cover the opening with a tarp only if you can do it safely from the ground. Never climb a roof near unstable masonry.
- Photograph the damage from a safe distance for your insurance claim.
- Call us for an inspection before any weather moves in, because an open or cracked chimney gets worse fast.
Why it is urgent: Loose masonry can fall and injure someone or damage the roof and anything below. If the movement has cracked the flue, the chimney can no longer safely contain fire or exhaust, and every freeze-thaw cycle widens the damage until a small repair becomes a rebuild.
After the emergency: what we check
We assess the structure first, from the ground and the roof where it is safe, then run a Level 2 inspection of the flue to see whether the liner was breached. From there we lay out the options honestly, whether that is resetting the top courses, a new crown and flashing, or a partial rebuild down to sound brick, with the work documented for your insurer. Storm, lightning and impact damage is often covered where long-term deterioration is not, and our photographed reports are written so an adjuster can follow them.
What can wait, and what cannot
Not every alarming sign is an emergency. A campfire smell on a humid day, white staining on the brick, a slow drip after heavy rain or clothes that take two cycles to dry are all problems worth booking soon, but they are not reasons to leave the house tonight. The dividing line is simple: anything that threatens to put fire, smoke or carbon monoxide where people are breathing is an emergency, and anything that is only damaging the chimney itself can be scheduled. When you are not sure which one you have, our symptoms guide sorts the common signs by urgency, and you are always welcome to call and describe what you are seeing.
How we handle an urgent call
When you call with one of these situations, you talk to a person, not a message service. We ask what is happening right now, make sure anyone at risk is safe and that 911 has been called if it needs to be, and then schedule the soonest visit the situation calls for. We work to the NFPA 211 standard, which sets out the level of inspection each of these events requires before a chimney goes back into use, and we do not clear a chimney for another fire until it has met that bar. Insured and bonded, serving Bourbonnais and the towns across Kankakee County and nearby Will and Iroquois County.
Emergency questions
What counts as a chimney emergency, and what can wait until morning?
If fire, smoke or carbon monoxide could reach the people in the house, it is an emergency: a chimney fire, a carbon monoxide alarm, smoke filling a room, a blocked flue you just lit a fire against, or a chimney that has shifted or lost brick. Problems that only damage the chimney, such as staining, a slow leak or a cracked crown, can be booked for the next available visit.
Should I call 911 or call you first?
For anything involving active fire, a carbon monoxide alarm, anyone feeling ill, or falling masonry, call 911 first and from a safe place outside. Call us once everyone is safe, so we can inspect the chimney before it is used again. For a non-dangerous problem, call us directly.
Can I put out a chimney fire myself?
Your safety comes before the house. Get everyone out and call 911. Only if you can do it in seconds on the way out should you close the damper or glass doors to starve the fire of air and use a chimney-fire suppressant if you own one. Never climb onto the roof and never pour water down a hot flue.
My carbon monoxide alarm went off but nobody feels sick. Is it a false alarm?
Treat every carbon monoxide alarm as real. Get everyone outside into fresh air and call 911 or the gas utility. The gas is odorless and symptoms can be mild at first, so the alarm is often the only warning you will get. Do not go back in until responders say it is safe.
Do you offer same-day or after-hours visits for emergencies?
We answer the phone seven days a week, from 7am to 9pm, and we prioritize urgent situations such as a fire, a blocked flue or storm damage for the soonest possible visit. When you call, describe what is happening so we can tell you what to do in the meantime and how quickly we can be out.
Should I pour water down the chimney to stop a fire?
No. Water hitting a flue burning at over 2,000 degrees creates a violent burst of steam and the thermal shock can crack the liner, turning a contained fire into a worse problem. Starving the fire of air by closing the damper and doors, if you can do it safely, is the only step to attempt, and the fire department handles the rest.
My chimney was hit by lightning or damaged in a storm. What do I do first?
Keep everyone clear of the chimney inside and out, and do not light a fire. A lightning strike can start a hidden fire inside the chase, so if you suspect one, get out and call 911. Once it is safe, photograph the damage for insurance and call us for a structural and flue inspection before the next round of weather.
Is it safe to use my fireplace after a small chimney fire if everything looks fine?
No. A chimney fire, even a quiet one, routinely cracks flue tiles and opens joints in ways you cannot see from the firebox, and the next fire can breach those cracks into the framing. Keep the fireplace off until a Level 2 camera inspection confirms the flue is sound or the chimney has been relined.
Facing one of these right now? Call and tell us what is happening.
A person answers from 7am to 9pm, seven days a week, and can tell you what to do in the moment and get you on the schedule.
Call (815) 449-4264