Joyce Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 My first home, 36 years old, burned. The fire started in the attic a above the heatalator. What happened? Joyce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 You have had a fire in the attic? or You had a fire in the attic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Hockstein Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 Sorry about your fire. I suggest you ask the local fire department/investigator about the cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjr6550 Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 My first home, 36 years old, burned. The fire started in the attic a above the heatalator. What happened? Joyce I have heard of fires occurring because the joist between the Heatilator throat area and the chimney flue liner was not properly sealed. Also, if the Heatilator vents are blocked the firebox can overheat. Clearance to combustibles can also be a problem. The fire may have started at or near the fireplace and traveled up into the attic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Not enough info to comment. Heatilator is a manufacturer of prefab gas and wood fireplaces, gas and wood inserts and gas logsets. In addition to identifying the correct product, many more specifics are needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdhutch Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Only the fire investigators can determine the actual cause, especially in an attic fire. On a separate note, my brothers house burned two weeks ago. The house was over 40 years old and had two DYI additions. The fire started in the attic above one of the additions. Investigators determined faulty wiring caused the fire. Ironic, the previous owner who did the additions was an electrician, and my brother is the fire chief in that city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baird Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 I knew a 60's ranch whose attic ignited at a ceiling fan connection or motor one. Another I knew began when a lot of pine was consumed by manufactured fireplace and flue got too hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearthman Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Was this a steelform masonry fireplace or a factory built fireplace listed to UL 127? Heatilator made their Mark C steelform up until 1987. They still make their UL 127 woodburners, which have a chimney listed to withstand a 1,700F chimney fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Was this a steelform masonry fireplace or a factory built fireplace listed to UL 127? Heatilator made their Mark C steelform up until 1987. They still make their UL 127 woodburners, which have a chimney listed to withstand a 1,700F chimney fire. A slight drift in the thread: What's your opinion about the near ubiquitous problem of vertical cracking in the back of Heatilator steelforms? I've seen welded repairs that have re-cracked along the edge of the weld. Are these things toast once they're cracked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearthman Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 The steel has failed and undergone a change. It is no longer the same steel it was made out of. Therefore, it should be replaced rather than repaired. I got into some heated arguments with the factory who was advocating welding on site. The codes accept these steel fireboxes only when intact and installed to the mfrs instructions. The breast on steelform fireplaces almost always warp and buckle. There is no acceptable repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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