The purpose of a fireplace is obviously to add warmth and beauty to your home, but their use needs to always be treated with care and caution. Knowing how to safely operate your fireplace, you can ensure that the whole family can enjoy sitting together in front of the fire and you will no longer have to worry about safety concerns. These five tips should always be referred to when dealing with your fireplace:
1. Only burn what is designed to be burned
Modern heating appliances can be found for almost any fuel source. Whether your fireplace is built to burn wood, pellets, gas, coal, or another fuel source, it is important to burn what your fireplace is designed for and nothing else. Venting systems installed in gas fireplaces are not designed to handle wood. This holds true for burning paper or cardboard in a wood fireplace which can cause dangerous, out of control flames. For homes with wood burning fireplaces, seasoned hardwoods are most often the best choice, producing the least amount of smoke while creating the hottest flames.
2. Keep the area around the fireplace clear
The mantle of your fireplace is a common area to decorate, precise care should be taken when decorating around this area. Low hanging or other flammable decorations should be placed elsewhere in the home, or moved when the fireplace is being used. Additionally, curtains, carpets, and other furnishings should be kept at least three feet away from the fireplace to avoid stray sparks and embers-greatly reducing the risk of house fires.
3. Keep children out
Glass doors, baby gates, grates or any other safety barrier that is appropriate should be used around the fireplace if there are small children or pets in your home. Older children can be taught to keep away from the flames, but babies and toddlers are often too curious to stay away. These barriers will prevent any accidents from happening in the home. However, no matter their age, children should never be left unsupervised when the fireplace is in use.
4. Are your smoke detectors working?
Every home, even homes without fireplaces, should be equipped with fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. This is common knowledge, but needs to be stated regardless. These safety alarms are especially important in homes with fireplace and should be tested every six months to ensure they work correctly. Smoke detectors should be placed on every level of the home as well as near fireplace and outside sleeping areas.
5. Regular maintenance is vital
Annual chimney and fireplace maintenance is often the most important part of keeping your fireplace safe to use. By having your chimney swept and inspected at least once per year (twice is highly recommended), you can ensure that it is free from damage and can burn safely and efficiently.
Follow these five tips closely and keep your home and family safe all year round! Contact Guaranteed Chimney of Westchester today for all of your chimney and fireplace needs!