Sitting by the fireplace in the wintertime with a hot cup of cocoa can be very cozy. To ensure your fireplace is safe, follow these tips below.
Prep Your Fireplace
With time, chimney’s become coated with soot and creosote. Creosote is the leftover buildup that smoke leaves behind. To ensure your fireplace is creosote free, you should have your chimney inspected annually. You should find a chimney sweep that is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep. CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps have earned the industry’s most respected accreditation by passing an in-depth examination based on fire codes, clearance, and standards for the construction and maintenance of chimney and venting systems.
Use Protection Safety Screens
A protective safety barrier will protect you and your family from coming in contact with the fire and hot glass. Without a safety screen, your family poses the risk of serious burns. The screen should always be in place when a fire is going.
Purchase Fireplace Toolset
Fireplace tool sets consist of 5 different tools to help you safely handle your fireplace in your home. The five tools include A broom, fire iron, shovel, poker, and holding stand. These tools come in a variety of styles and colors to match the decor of your home.
Install a Chimney Cap
Experienced fireplace owners may already have a chimney cap. For those people who have a new fireplace, the chimney cap is a covering that goes over the top of the chimney. Installing the cap prevents animals and water from getting into your chimney. It also stops downdrafts from entering your home. Downdrafts can cause your home to fill with smoke, especially in windy areas.
Burn Seasoned Wood
Seasoned firewood is easier to start, burns cleaner, and produces more heat. When buying seasoned wood, look for darkened ends with visible cracks or splits. The other type of firewood is green wood or wet wood. This type of wood may cause excessive smoke, foul odor, creosote buildup, and potentially chimney fires. If you want to ensure good, seasoned wood, buy your firewood the spring before you burn it, and store it properly.
Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Most houses have smoke detectors already installed. It’s important to ensure your smoke detectors are working properly. Carbon monoxide is dangerous because you can’t see or smell it when it’s present. Gas hot water heaters, gas and oil furnaces, fireplace, and wood stoves all generate carbon monoxide. With fireplaces, most carbon monoxide problems occur because of improper exhausting of fumes. Carbon monoxide alarms are installed separately from smoke detectors. With a fireplace in the home, it is important to ensure both are installed and working properly.
Fire Repair and Cleanup Experts in Des Moines, Iowa
If you ever have a fire in your home from your fireplace, ServiceMaster by Rice specializes in professional, immediate assistance to your home after a fire. Whether it is furniture, carpet, ceilings, walls, and floors, our professional staff can help restore your home to its pre-fire conditions.
