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Batteries in the fire? Not so fast A friend once told me that you can remove the insides of dry cell batteries (not alkaline) and put them in a blazing hot fire. It's supposed to reduce creosote in your chimney. Is there any proof that this works? Can fumes be dangerous to your house? Can it be hazardous to the air outside? -- Tom C., Eagle Point Our advice to you, Tom: Don't try this at home -- or anywhere else, for that matter. Local fire department personnel were largely negative on the suggestion burning batteries could help clean a chimney. Although a lot of remedies have been cooked up over the years to reduce creosote, they advised against trying them, including the one calling for batteries tossed into the fire. Why? No one we talked to could say, exactly. But face it: You could have worse problems than creosote buildup. So how to handle the gunky buildup? As owner of Chim-Chimney Sweepers in Medford, Mike Kohn makes a living out of removing creosote. Kohn has been cleaning chimneys since the 1984. "There are things you can add to a fire that is supposed to reduce creosote buildup," Kohn said. "But, my experience is, if you are burning dry, well-seasoned wood, then you aren't going to have a problem." He also suggested burning a hot fire twice a day for a few minutes to clear out creosote. "You want to burn as hot as possible," he said. "If you are ... burning moisture in the wood and not burning the gases, you are going to have a creosote problem." ("Since You Asked'' is a daily feature in the Mail Tribune that answers questions from readers on virtually any topic of general interest. To submit a question, e-mail us at [email protected] Please include your name, address and phone number for verification. If you have specific questions about our Web site or other questions about the Mail Tribune, please send them to [email protected] ) Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA