Fireplaces are a gorgeous addition to any home and can provide warmth, comfort, and wonderful memories on cold evenings. But they are also one of the biggest causes of house fires. Fireplaces do not cause house fires all by themselves, it is usually negligence or misinformation on the part of the homeowner. However there are precautions to take and a correct way to use the fireplace that will minimize the risk as much as possible and you should insure optimum safety practices when remodeling a fireplace . By following and adhering to these simple things you can protect your family and your possessions from an unintended house fire.
The very first thing you need to do is to remove any clutter or junk from around the fireplace. Everyone loves a warm fire but by placing anything flammable too close to the fireplace all it would take is one spark to turn your house into ruin. Even things that you intend to use for the fireplace need to be kept a safe distance away. Newspaper, kindling, firewood, and furniture should be at least a few feet away so that a stray spark does not cause a fire. One way to prevent embers and sparks from leaving the fireplace at all is to have a screen in front of the fireplace whenever it is in use. Just be sure that the holes in the screen are not too big or the embers will get through anyway.
The most common area of a fireplace to be neglected is the chimney. Many homeowners completely forget that a chimney needs to be maintained and tend to dismiss it as a fire hazard. But there are a lot of potential hazards in the chimney itself that need to be prevented. Make sure that the chimney is cleaned regularly, at least once yearly. Even if the chimney has not been used for months it is not unusual for birds to nest in the enclosed space and that can cause a fire. Also if the chimney is not cleaned regularly while in use then ash can build up on the sides of the chimney, which is also combustible.
Always be aware of how much wood you are using for a fire. Just because the fire looks small does not mean it will stay that way if you add a few extra pieces of firewood. Especially when the wood is dry it can quickly become a very big blaze within a few seconds. This makes it harder to control and more likely to cause a problem. It’s best to burn logs for an hour or two and let it become mostly ash before adding any more wood. Never use anything but wood or manufactured fire logs in your fireplace since you cannot predict how quickly or largely they will burn.
Have a fire extinguisher close at hand when using your fireplace. This is the best safety precaution since even the most cautious homeowner can have a fire get out of hand very quickly. Having the fire extinguisher around will help alleviate any worry and put the fire out before it gets out of control.
Finally, make sure that small children and pets are kept far away from the fireplace when in use. Never leave a fire burning unattended and make sure that nothing could go unnoticed by someone. By following these simple procedures you can make sure that your fireplace is enjoyable without being a hazard.
Safety for an Outdoor Fireplace
Having an outdoor fireplace is not nearly as popular with consumers as having a nice fireplace in the living room, but it still has its crowd of fans. As such there are a variety of sizes, styles, shapes, and designs of outdoor fireplaces and most anyone can find a wonderful fireplace to fit their budget. However, it is very easy to get caught up in which features and style of fireplace you want and not think about the safety of the fireplace. But this is an imperative thing to consider since it could save you money, property, and can even save your family’s lives.
There are some very specific safety points you will want to keep in mind while you are looking for an outdoor fireplace. A lot of fire safety experts recommend that outdoor fireplaces should have a chimney as opposed to a fire pit or elevated pit. A chimney keeps a fireplace safer because it provides better airflow and makes sure that less smoke is going to be crowding around the house or bothering any visitors. Fire pits can be a hazard all by themselves simply because there is a built in risk or it tipping over to the side, so a chimney is much safer. Always be careful with having combustible materials near the fireplace. Outdoor fireplaces need to have extra care taken because of the likelihood of wind that could cause sparks to suddenly go flying, and the last thing you want is to have something flammable right there when that happens.
It is always best to have a defensive fire plan in place just in case something should go wrong. Start with small fires so that it doesn’t get out of control and can slowly be built on in a safe manner. Try not to blow on the fire too much as this can cause a sudden increase in the size of the flames that you might not be prepared for. Of course there should be a fire extinguisher at the ready and everyone around the vicinity should know how to use it. When starting the fire or adding to the fire it is best to wear protective gloves since you cannot predict when a sudden wind will bring the flames out of your control for a moment and you want to be protected.
Keep the fireplace in a wide-open space and away from any plant life. And finally, never ever use an outdoor fireplace indoors because this is not its intended use. By following these simply safety precautions you can enjoy your outdoor fireplace for years to come with no worry of an accidental fire damaging your property.
