There’s nothing cosier than a fire in the winter, even in sunny San Diego. Of course, using a fireplace requires a minimum of vigilance, precaution and maintenance. Clean Earth Restorations has put together a short article on staying safe with fireplaces.

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There are two kinds of fireplaces – gas and wood-burning. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages, and their own safety requirements.

Have a look — do you use all these precautions when using your fireplace?

Safety Tips for Wood-Burning Fireplaces

  • Have your chimney inspected annually by a professional. A chimney sweep must make sure your chimney is sound and free of obstructions and/or soot build-up. A cracked chimney can cause an excess of heat build-up that escapes through the crack and starts a fire elsewhere in your home’s stucture. Here’s a quick link to a list of Yelp’s chimney sweeps in San Diego. Have you had your chimney swept yet?
  • Make sure you have a cap on top of chimney to prevent burning debris from flying out and causing uncontrolled exterior fires. Your chimney sweep can check its condition during his/her annual inspection.
  • Equip your home with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check them monthly to make sure they are functioning correctly and replace batteries as soon as you hear the warning sign.
  • Use safe fire-building techniques (see below).
  • Keep flammable materials clear of fire place, including wood, newspaper, magazines, and rugs.
  • Keep pets, kids, and guests or family-members who easily loose their balance a safe distance away from the hearth.
  • Never use liquid fire starters or gasoline — they can bring the fire out into the room quickly and/or explosively.
  • Keep glass fireplace doors open to bring in cooler air up through the flue. Keep screens closed to prevent sparks from flying out.
  • Use fireplace tools to move hot logs and embers around – never your hands!
  • Never leave the fire unattended. Make sure it is completely out before you go to bed or leave the house.

Safety Tips for Gas Fireplaces

  • Gas fireplaces should be maintained by a qualified specialty retail service to ensure proper functioning of gas input, vents, air circulation and carbon monoxide detector. Proper functioning of the equipment is ESSENTIAL to your safety!
  • Keep the fireplace instructions nearby and familiarize yourself with them before having a fire.
  • Equip your home with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Keep children and pets away from the glass doors which can heat up significantly and burn a hand or paw that leans on them.
  • Keep your fire-lighting key in a safe place where curious children cannot find it and start the fireplace by themselves.
  • Keep the inside and outside of the glass fireplace doors clean to prevent debris build-up from catching fire.
  • Even though your gas fireplace isn’t burning wood, it’s still a real fire — treat it with the same respect and caution you would a wood-burning fire.

How to Safely Build a Wood Fire (in a Wood-Burning Fireplace)

  1. Put crumpled paper on the grate and cover with a small mound of kindling.
  2. Open the fireplace’s damper.
  3. Light the paper/kindling.
  4. Once the kindling has started well, add seasoned wood (that is correctly cut for the hearth).
  5. Close the fire screen.
  6. Enjoy!

Of course, whether you have a fireplace or not, it is important to keep a fire extinguisher in your home. For more information, see our recent post about different types of fire extinguishers.

 

 

Clean Earth Restorations is a San Diego County damage restoration company specializing in smoke and fire damage remediation as well as mold, sewage, flood, and hoarding clean-up. Contact us today for a free estimate from our family-owned and -run organization.

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