Fireplace Safety & Maintenance When the colder temperatures start to set in, many homeowners will turn to their fireplace, wood or pellet stoves as an additional heat source. While fireplaces can provide warmth and comfort, if you are not careful, they can also be a hazard. Keep in mind the following precautions to help ensure a safe winter season. Keep Your Chimney Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean Have your chimney, fireplace, wood or pellet stove inspected and cleaned by a licensed chimney specialist. They should be maintained annually to help ensure they are functioning safely and efficiently. Be sure to keep the area around the hearth clear of debris, decorations and any other combustible materials. If you have a wood burning, insert or pellet stove, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for additional guidance related to operation and venting. Keep Fires Burning Safely Be sure the flue is open before lighting your fire to help ensure the fireplace will vent properly.
Do not close your damper until you are sure the fire is out. When starting a fire, only use a match or commercial firelighter. Never use flammable liquids to start a fire. Glass doors of a fireplace should be kept open while burning a fire. This allows the fire to receive enough air for complete combustion and to help reduce creosote build-up in the chimney. Metal mesh screens should remain closed whenever your fireplace is in use to help keep embers in the fireplace. Only use dry wood in your fireplace. Wet wood can increase creosote buildup, which can lead to chimney fires. Do not burn plastic because it can release toxic chemicals and cause damage to your chimney, fireplace or wood stove. Never burn a Christmas tree in your fireplace as the sparks from the burning needles can increase the risk for a chimney fire. Also, do not burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper or trash in your fireplace. Never leave a fire in a fireplace unattended. Before leaving the house or going to bed, you should make certain to fully extinguish the fire.
Allow ashes to cool completely before disposing of them — ashes can take several days to cool completely. Never empty ashes directly into a trash can. Instead, place ashes in a covered metal container located at least 10 feet1 away from your home and any other building. Keep the Outside of Your Home and Your Chimney Safe Firewood should be stacked at least 30 feet away from your home.2 Your roof and chimney should be kept clean of leaves, pine needles and other debris. Prune trees and branches to keep them away from your chimney. Install a chimney cap with spark arrester to help keep debris, leaves, branches and animals out, and to help prevent burning embers or sparks from escaping and creating a fire hazard. Keep the Inside of Your Home Safe with Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors To help make your winter even safer, we recommend that you take the time to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A smoke detector is the most effective way to detect smoke from a fire and signal an alarm so that you can get you and your family out safely.
A carbon monoxide detector can alert you to the buildup of this dangerous odorless and colorless gas. Make sure you test the detectors monthly, and after you change the batteries to ensure they work properly. Source: 1 National Fire Protection Association. (2015). Wood and Pellet Stove Safety. /safety-information/safety-tip-sheets.2 National Fire Protection Association. (2015). Wildland Fire Safety. A fire in the fireplace is lovely to look at, but whenever there’s fire, there are dangers. Fortunately, here is a list of the most important, easy and practical things you can do to bring the risks to a minimum. • for the safety of your home as well as the people and pets in it. • To keep children and pets at a safe distance from woodstoves and fireplaces, child fireplace safety guards and gates should be used. • We encourage the use of non-chemical fire starters such as fatwood to maintain a healthy indoor environment. • Do not burn unseasoned wood, painted wood, or paper with color print.
• Fireplace safety requires ashes be moved into a lidded ash bucket instead of directly into the trash. Too many house fires are the result of ashes thought to be spark-free which were actually hiding hot embers. • Use a blowpoke. It adds to fireplace safety by distancing the fire-tender from the flames. Blowpokes, typically 3 1/2 to 4 feet long, are longer than most fireplace tools. They allow you to oxygenate your fire (as a bellows does) and also move around light pieces of firewood (as a poker does). • Use fireplace safety gloves for handling firewood. They protect you from splinters and from burns if you come into contact with the fireplace grate or burning wood. You can safely use these gloves to position new firewood into the fireplace. • Use a fireplace grate to provide additional fireplace safety. The grate contains the burning logs so none roll or fall out of the firebox onto the hearth or floor. • Keep flammable mantel decorations and hearth décor at a safe distance from fireplace flames.
As lovely as mantel swags or Christmas stockings may be, remove them before lighting a fire. • Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a licensed chimney sweep annually if you use your fireplace regularly. Even if you seldom use it, have your chimney inspected every two years. • combination smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector near your fireplace or wood stove. Fire of any kind gives off carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can be fatal if breathed. Because you have your chimneys cleaned every year (you do, don’t you?), and because your chimneys have good chimney caps installed (don’t they?) you have eliminated most risk of a clogged flue that can flood your home with carbon monoxide. Nevertheless, a detector costing less than $50 is a must. It also protects you from carbon monoxide generated by an oil burner or gas furnace. & Arrow offers the entire product lines of Fireplace Doors from Stoll and Design Specialties. include: Antique, Satin & Polished Brass - Brushed & Polished