If you own a house with a fireplace, you’ve likely enjoyed some chilly nights curled up next to a warm fire. There are few cozier feelings than watching the flames crackle while you relax in the comfort of your home.
While the enjoyment of fireplaces is hard to beat, you must take the right precautions if you plan to use them in your home. You may be aware of some fire prevention methods and know you can receive insurance discounts for fire alarms, but being aware of proper safety rules with your fireplaces is also crucial.
So what do you need to know before you light your next fire? Let’s find out.
Don’t Skip Your Chimney Inspection
One of the most critical steps to fireplace safety is to have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually. For this process, you’ll want to be sure to hire a professional to ensure your chimney is properly checked and cleaned.
If you don’t have your chimney inspected, you can risk a chimney fire. Items like paper, bird nests, leaves, and twigs could get stuck in your chimney while it’s not in use. When you go to light your first fire of the season, these highly flammable items could cause your chimney to catch fire.
Chimney fires can be tricky, as they may often go undetected. However, if they happen, they can cause severe structural damage to your home.
Rather than risk a chimney fire, be sure to have your chimney inspected yearly to keep it clean and safe for use.
Keep the Area Surrounding Your Fireplace Clear
If you enjoy decorating your home, you will likely see a large fireplace as the perfect location for some eye-catching decorations. However, it’s typically best to keep your fireplace as clear as possible.
Flammable items kept within reach of stray embers can quickly catch fire and cause a massive blaze if not stopped. Upholstered furniture, curtains, tablecloths, and decorations with fabric are all highly flammable and can easily catch fire if a stray ember finds its way onto them.
Other dry items, such as fake flowers and books, are also at risk of catching fire. While they may look nice sitting on your hearth, keeping the area clear is best to avoid potential blazes.
Keep a Watchful Eye on Your Fire
Fires can be extremely relaxing. You may even find yourself dozing off on a cool night while snuggled up next to the crackling flames.
But keeping a close eye on your fire is essential for safety. An unwatched fire can cause many potential problems, the biggest being a house fire.
Stray embers can easily shoot out of a fire and catch any flammable items sitting too close. If you are closely watching your fire, there’s no cause for alarm as you can quickly smother any embers.
However, if your fire is left unattended, those embers can catch and quickly start a fire.
Place a Guard to Lower Your Ember Escapes
It can be difficult to ensure no embers escape your crackling fire. But, you can lower your chances of it occurring.
Adding a metal guard in front of your fireplace helps to stop stray embers from reaching your living area. These guards are typically a mesh-like material and can do more than just prevent potential fires.
Guards may also keep pets and children back from fires as they create a barrier between them and the open flame. While you should still never leave your fire unattended, these guards can offer an added layer of safety.
The design of the guard you choose is entirely up to you. These safety features come in a wide variety of colors and styles. Just be sure the guard is the right size and fits your fireplace snugly.
Remove Ashes Carefully From Your Fireplace
A frequent cleaning component of fireplaces is cleaning. This means removing the buildup of ash left behind by the burning logs.
When removing ash from your fireplace, it’s essential to do so safely. The coals in your fireplace can remain hot enough to start a blaze for up to three days, even after your fire has gone out. Removing these coals too soon after having a fire could cause them to catch on other flammable items in your trashcan, resulting in a fire.
Instead, wait at least three days after your most recent fire to clean out ashes to prevent potential fires.
Check Smoke Alarms and Keep Extinguishers Handy
Even if you take all necessary precautions against potential fires, you can’t always prevent them. In the event of a fire, your smoke alarm and fire extinguisher are crucial safety components.
Smoke alarms will alert you to a potential fire. Some models also use smart technology and can be linked to your security system to call emergency services if a fire is detected. If your fireplace starts to blaze your home, smoke alarms can make a massive difference between getting to safety and being unaware.
Fire extinguishers are also an important safety item to keep on hand. These tools can quickly snuff out a fire and stop it from spreading. You should keep your extinguisher close to your fireplace so it can be grabbed easily if a fire breaks out.
Keeping these safety tools on hand and adequately running can protect you in case your preventative measures fail and a blaze begins.
Proper Measures for Fireplace Safety
Owning a fireplace makes the cooler months seem a little cozier. A nice, crackling fire pairs perfectly with a chilly day.
If you plan to have fires in your home, it’s essential to follow the proper safety precautions to avoid potential blazes in your home. Getting a chimney inspection annually, keeping your heart clear of flammable materials, keeping an eye on your fire, adding a guard, and carefully removing ashes are all essential steps to fireplace safety.
Double-check your homeowners policy if it includes fire insurance coverage.
If all else fails, having the right tools, like smoke alarms and fire extinguishers is a great backup safety precaution. These items can help alert you to a fire and quickly act. These tools are extremely handy if you need to call emergency services or can put the blaze out yourself.
Once you have taken the proper safety precautions and have the right tools, all that’s left to do is enjoy the incredible warmth of your fire.
Alexandra Arcand writes and researches for the insurance comparison site, Clearsurance.com. She is a fire safety expert and owns a home with two fireplaces. She is also married to a firefighter, so she enjoys sharing her fire safety knowledge with others.
