How To Avoid A Chimney Fire
When you own and use a fireplace regularly, you should always think fire prevention!
Hussel suggested the following seven basic guidelines to protect your home and your neighborhood:
• Have your fireplace inspected annually and cleaned when necessary by a professional chimney sweep. A dirty fireplace can cause chimney fires and inhibit proper venting of smoke up the flue.
• Clear the area around the hearth. Debris too close to the fireplace could cause a fire.Check the flue for obstructions and trim overhanging branches or large trees near the chimney.Keep Christmas stockings and holiday decorations away from the firebox when the fireplace is in use.
• Always use a fireplace screen. Use a metal, mesh fireplace screen. Leave glass doors open while burning a fire — unless fireplace manufacturers’ instructions indicate otherwise.
• Never overload the fireplace with to many logs. Don’t use the fireplace as an incinerator, and never burn garbage, Christmas trees, or glossy magazine paper. Be careful not to add too much firewood. In a fireplace, keep the top of the flames visible below the fireplace opening. In a woodstove, keep the flames confined to the woodstove itself.
• Keep a fire extinguisher on hand and place smoke detectors throughout the house.Test the smoke detectors and batteries regularly.Teach all the family members to operate the fire extinguisher. Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector in rooms that have a fireplace.
• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace, on a adequate supporting grate.
• Never leave a fire unattended. Be sure the fire is extinguished before you go to bed. Never leave children unsupervised near the fireplace.
“Creosote is the main cause of chimney fires,” says Bill Hussel, founder of The Chimney Doctors.“The buildup of creosote is highly combustible and can result in a chimney fire. There are a few simple rules of thumb that can help keep you and your family safer if they are followed,”Hussel adds.
Hussel lists the following practices to help minimize creosote:
• Burn only seasoned woods
• Do not burn trash in a fireplace or woodstove
• Don’t allow the fire to smolder
• Contact your chimney professional to clean your chimney regularly
Fireplaces and winter produce special, lifelong memories for many families. However, just like anything else related to fire, caution has to be practiced to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment.
