No. Closing the firplace flue will not make any difference in damage to you home. Closing it will only waste time better spent taking cover.
Yes, it is possible for multiple tornadoes to form side by side during the same weather event. This phenomenon, known as a tornado family or tornado outbreak, can occur when multiple supercell thunderstorms develop in close proximity with conditions conducive for tornado formation. Each tornado within a tornado family is usually spawned by a different storm cell.
Generally not. If a tornado is closing in on you a car is one of the most dangerous places to be. If you are in a car and a tornado is coming close get out of it and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If no such shelter is available take cover in a ditch or depression.
That depends on the tornado. In the very weakest tornadoes it would be possible to stand with some difficult inside the tornado itself. In a strong enough tornado the winds may be strong enough to pull you in from as much as 200 yards away, perhaps more.
A tornado watch is issued when general weather conditions in a region are favorable for the formation of tornadoes. Tornado watches are numbered in the order that they are issued. So tornado watch 4 is the 4th tornado watch issued in the country that year.
That varies. If you are close enough to be in the area of the tornado's inflow then the wind will blow almost directly towards the tornado, perhaps a little to the right of that direction. In that case the wind direction will depend on where the tornado is relative to you. If you are beyond the inflow area for the tornado, then nothing about the wind direction would indicate the approaching tornado.
To properly close a fireplace flue, you should make sure the damper is fully closed and secure. This helps prevent heat loss and drafts when the fireplace is not in use.
the flue should be opened
No. You do not need to take shelter during a tornado watch. You take shelter if a tornado warning is issued. If you are in a closet shelter you should close the door; it may not provide adequate protection otherwise.
No. If a tornado warning is issued, you should take cover as quickly as possible. Since tornadoes are usually preceded by rain, there is a good chance you will have closed your windows anyway.
Yes- but open before use.
If the tornado is relatively close and no other shelter is available then yes. Tornadoes are fast moving and unpredictable, you should not attempt to outrun one.
No. The flue must be open to allow the carbon monoxide to escape from the house.
The function that a fireplace fan serves is to distribute heat throughout the room that the fireplace is in. A fireplace fan is ideal because it's probably not safe to sit too close to a fireplace.
The purpose of the fireplace damper is to keep the outside elements, outside. The damper is opened only when there is a fire in the fireplace.
To effectively close off a fireplace, you can use a fireplace cover or insert to block the opening. Make sure the cover is made of fire-resistant materials and fits securely in the fireplace. Additionally, consider sealing the chimney to prevent drafts and debris from entering.
The main thing that one should do to make sure that heat is not being lost through the chimney of a fireplace is to always close the damper when the fireplace is not in use. In addition, you can also use a fireplace door or cover to prevent additional heat loss.
If you do not close it then you basically have a hole in your roof that is sucking out all the warm air. This will lead to even higher heating and cooling costs.