With winter upon us and the cold settling in, you’re probably wanting to turn on your fireplace if you haven’t already. Before turning on your fireplace it’s important to make sure you’re following safety rules to the best of your ability to prevent accidents. Below are some of the fireplace safety rules to follow.
Short Duration
It may be tempting to keep your fireplace burning for a long period of time or to try to use it as an alternative to the furnace but you shouldn’t keep your fireplace going for more than a few hours. Any more time spent with your fireplace on adds to the possibility of damage to you or your home.
Never Unattended
If you have kids or pets you definitely want to avoid leaving your fireplace unattended. Even if you live alone or with other adults it’s best practice to have an adult in the room of the fireplace that’s burning. This helps to keep kids or pets from accidentally hurting themselves and to keep a fire from spreading from the fireplace.
Flammable Objects
This may seem like common sense but it’s essential to keep flammable objects away from the fireplace. Don’t put holiday decorations too close to the flame area if that’s where you chose to put the decorations. Avoid carpets from being placed too close and always make sure to keep the screen in front of the fireplace.
Never Use Hands
It might seem like an easy option to turn over a log in the fireplace that doesn’t look hot or to add more wood using only your bare hands. Don’t do this. Always use fireplace tools to help you. Just because a log in the fireplace may not look hot, doesn’t mean that it’s not hot. It’s also not a good idea to try to throw on another piece of wood. Use caution to avoid burning yourself.
Clean Cool
If your fireplace or fireplace glass looks like it needs to be cleaned, always make sure that it is cool. Don’t try to clean right after. Use your hand to hover over the area or to lightly touch to make sure everything is completely cooled down before trying to clean anything.
Inspection
A fireplace needs to be inspected semi-regularly. This helps to ensure that there’s not serious damage to be worried about in the chimney or if you use a gas fireplace you want to ensure there’s no potential gas leaks.
Use The Right Firewood
Firewood is an important part of your fireplace. It’s what keeps the fire burning. It’s important to ensure that the firewood you’re using is safe. To take away the stress of having to go out yourself to find firewood, whether that’s at a store or another way, you can get your firewood delivered right to you.
