06/23/2026
Getting it 75% right still leaves a hazard! 🏠🔥
During a recent inspection, I looked at this masonry chimney. The builders did a great job maintaining the required 2-inch safety gap from the wood framing on three sides. But on the fourth side, the wood was framed far too close.
Without that 2-inch breathing room, decades of low heat will cause a process called "pyrolysis"—permanently lowering the wood's ignition temperature until it becomes a fire risk.
To top it off, someone stuffed insulation into the proper gaps to stop drafts, which just traps heat if the chimney is active.
Whether you're building new or remodeling an older home, every single side of a heating system needs its proper clearances!
