Fireplace Safety
Fireplace safety is something that should never be far from your mind if you have any kind of naked flame burning in your home, whether it is gas or indeed the even more fickle open fire. For while there is no doubt that enjoying an open fire is a wonderful thing to experience, along with the beauty of the flames, the crackling logs and the scent of wood smoke there comes something else that is very important – your safety and that of your family.
By following a few simple safety steps, you can ensure that there is no lethal damage or destruction within the four walls of your home.
Open fire safety means ensuring that your fire never gets out of control and that small children and pets don’t get close to the flames or glowing embers. It also means ensuring that smoke and toxins do not leak into your home. The first vital step towards this is making sure your chimney is professionally swept every year to prevent a build up of tar and to ensure that it is not clogged with bird or other animal nests, or other type of debris that could cause a fire.
Never throw rubbish or any kind of paper onto a gas fire and don’t use an open fire for burning trash which could contain substances not meant for burning. This could lead to unsafe buildups in your chimney, extra sparking or even an explosion. Moreover any paper put on a fire can burn and then come out of the top of the chimney and can create an unexpected fire hazard. Don’t be tempted to use the fireplace to burn an old Christmas tree.
Only use properly seasoned wood to reduce the buildup of creosote that causes a fire hazard. If this builds up, then there is a greater danger of combustion so watch what treated wood and kindling you choose to burn. For example if you live near the coast, an important thing to remember is that the salt from gathered driftwood that has been beached eats away at cast iron fire baskets.
ALWAYS have an adult operate the fireplace and NEVER use any type of flame accelerant in the fireplace such as gasoline or lighter fluid. Don’t ever leave open wood fires unattended or without a safe fire guard and be sure hot ashes are stored outside, in a metal container (never plastic) that has a tight fitting lid. If you plan to light a fire during a heavy snow storm, check the chimney top first to ensure it is not clogged.
You should consider using a hearth rug to protect the other areas of your home from fire or sparks. Most fireplace rugs are fire resistant and will reduce the risk of starting a fire including that from wood burning stoves, where sparks or flames may escape when the doors are open. Hearth rugs are excellent for insuring safety and also can be selected to match the decor of the room.
Another important safety feature is to make sure that your fireplace is properly vented. If it is not properly vented the fireplace can spill smoke or harmful fumes into the house when a fire is lit. In addition, sometimes improper venting can make it difficult to start a fire or to keep a fire burning at a healthy rate. If you have gas logs, stoves, or fireplaces with inserts, you should have the burners serviced and the control access cleaned before being used. Often, dust, pet hair, and other debris can clog the gas jets.
To protect your home and family do install reliable smoke alarms in your home (they can be fitted to the ceiling or wall) but do check they get a fresh set of batteries on a regular basis. Another lethal killer is carbon monoxide. Unlike fire, carbon monoxide is a silent killer and you won’t even know it’s there, until it’s too late. Again this problem can be solved by installing a small and unobtrusive carbon monoxide detector.
Finally you can be sure that if it escapes from a controlled environment fire can be very voracious so never underestimate the destructive power and speed of fire once it takes hold. Therefore always keep your fireplace hearth free of newspapers, magazines, toys, or anything combustible, don’t use candles on the mantel and never wear any kind of loose clothing or billowing nightwear near any naked flame.