Fireplace & Wood Stove Safety Tips
By Child Safety Specialist November 17, 2011 | 10:00 AMPosted in: Fire Prevention Every year we hear tragic stories of homes burning to the ground due to an unattended fire in a fireplace or the improper use of a wood stove. It takes a second for a fire to rage out of control and usually the cause is something that was inadvertently overlooked. Read below for some important reminders when you're using your fireplace or wood stove:
• All chimneys and wood burning stoves should be inspected and cleaned annually by a professional
• The holidays are fast approaching. Be safe and do not hang any decorations or flammable objects at the fireplace
• Install a Hearthgate at the fireplace to keep little ones away
• If you use glass doors, be sure to install a fireplace door lock. However, the doors need to be kept open while burning a fire as this allows the fire to receive enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney. When the doors are open, use a metal mesh screen in the closed position to keep embers from getting out of the fireplace.
• Check to make sure that only fire-resistant materials are on the walls around wood stoves.
• Make sure the chimney has a mesh screen spark arrester
• A build up of creosote buildup can lead to a chimney fire. To help prevent this, keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces.
• Only burn seasoned wood. Soft, moist wood accelerates the creosote buildup.
• Never leave a fire unattended and fires should always be extinguished before going to bed or leaving the house
• Install a home monitoring system such as ADT Pulse
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