Fireplace Safety Tips

The fireplace in your home is a source of warmth and relaxation for your entire family and friends. Like any home appliance, it should be safe, properly maintained, and good for the environment-inside and out.

 

         Fire Prevention Tips             

 

Being good to the environment also means making sure your fireplace habits are safe and will not pose a danger to your home or anyone elses.

Remember:

1. Clear the area around the fireplace and chimney. Debris too close to the fireplace could cause a fire. Check the flue for obstructions like birds nests,squirrels etc. and trim any overhanging branches or large trees near the chimney.
2. Always use a fireplace screen.
3. Never overload the fireplace with too many logs. Don't use the fireplace as an incinerator, and never burn garbage, Christmas trees, or piles of paper.
4. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand and place smoke detectors throughout the house. Test the smoke detectors and batteries regularly. See that the extinguisher is in good working order and that all family members know how to operate it.
5. When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace, preferably on a grate.
6. Never leave fire unattended. Be sure the fire is extinguished before you go to bed.
7. Keep wood stacked, covered, and out-of-doors, away from the house and off the ground. Bring in only as much as you need for one evening to prevent insects that may be in the wood from entering your home.  
8. Have your fireplace inspected annually and cleaned when necessary by a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. A dirty fireplace can cause chimney fires and inhibit proper venting of smoke up the flue.

Think Clean

1. Have your fireplace inspected and cleaned annually by a Certified chimney sweep. A dirty fireplace can cause chimney fires or contribute to air pollution. Your local NCSG-certified chimney sweep will diagnose your fireplace and recommend what it needs in order to burn cleanly and safely.
2. Choose the right fuel. In general, hardwood firewood (oak, madrone, hickory, ash, etc.) burns cleaner than softwood firewood (fir, pine, cedar, etc.). Independent tests (conducted by Shelton Research Labs, Santa Fe, NM) have proven that  manufactured wood burn much cleaner than firewood.
3. Use seasoned wood, wood with a moisture content of less than 20 percent, burns much cleaner than green (high moisture content) wood. Check with your cordwood supplier to make sure that the wood you purchase is seasoned.
4. Burn smartly. Good fireplace habits can decrease fuel consumption in the home while maintaining the same level of warmth. Make sure the fire gets enough air to burn properly. Close the damper when the fire is out to keep warm room air inside.
5. Minimize creosote buildup which causes chimney fires. Creosote is the black tarry or flaky substance formed in chimneys during the wood burning process. While firewood leaves flammable creosote and carbon deposits on chimney wells, tests show firelogs leave significantly less creosote accumulation than wood.
6. Make a fire that fits your fireplace. A fire that's too large or too hot not only wastes fuel, it can crack your chimney.
7. Keep your fireplace in good working condition. If you notice any cracks in the chimney, and any loose mortar or brick, have your chimney repaired. Have the chimney liner inspected for cracking or deterioration.
8. Read and follow the label when using firelogs. Use one firelog at a time, starting it with a fireplace at room temperature. Don't poke or break manufactured logs. This will cause them to crack apart, releasing their energy at a high rate and resulting in a shorter burn time. Firelogs perform best when burned on a supporting fireplace grate with a maximum of three to four inches of space between support bars.
9. If your fireplace is equipped with glass doors, leave them open while burning a firelog to allow proper draught and cleaner burning. Once you're sure the fire is extinguished, close the damper and glass doors to retain warm air inside the house.

 

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

 

• there is no chemical on the market that will clean a chimney, you need an anual inspection by a chimney professional.
  
• burning trash in your fireplace will damage your chimney and create a safety hazard?
  
• as little as one millimeter of creosote lining the chimney can reduce a stove's efficiency by up to 15 percent?

 

Fire Safety: Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors sound an alarm when a fire starts, alerting people before they are trapped or overcome by smoke.

With smoke detectors, your risk of dying in a home fire is cut nearly in half. Replace batteries once a year, or whenever a detector chirps to signal that its battery is low. Do not ever borrow detector batteries for other uses - a disabled smoke detector cannot save your life! For complete home protection, consider installing automatic fire sprinklers in addition to your smoke detectors. If your detector is more than ten years old, replace it.

Most fatal home fires occur at night, while people are asleep. Poisonous gases and smoke from a fire can numb the senses in a very short time. Every home needs a device that can wake people up in time to escape from a fire. Almost every day, a smoke detector saves somebody's life. Of all the low-cost fire alarm devices you can buy, fire officials consider smoke detectors the most effective!

Be familiar with the sound of a smoke detector.

 

 These Problems May Lead to an Unsafe Chimney or Expensive Repairs

 

• No Rain Cap

Rain can damage metal fireboxes and dampers. It can also erode mortar joints, causing the chimney to weaken.       For rain protection, a top quality chimney cap is the solution. A stainless steel model gives lifetime protection from moisture damage.   

   

There are five good reasons why you should have a chimney cap:

1. It keeps out the rain. Rain can soak into the mortar joints, weaken them and, therefore, weaken the chimney. If you have a metal firebox, rain will cause rust. If you have a wood stove insert, rain will rust it rapidly.
2. A cap will keep out birds and other varmints. Bird droppings down the chimney can cause a bad smell and a breeding ground for mites.
3. Installing a chimney cap can prevent roof fires, as its spark arrestor will trap the hot embers.
4. A cap inhibits downdrafting. Backpuffing of smoke can result from several factors. One of these is downdrafting, blowing smoke back down into the room.
5. A cap keeps out leaves. Leaves can choke a flue and set off a chimney fire in a dirty flue

• Missing Animal Guard

Squirrels, raccoons, and birds are the most frequent chimney invaders. Nesting debris in the chimney is a serious fire hazard and can cause smoke or dangerous carbon monoxide vapors to back up into your home.

Animals entering the home through the chimney can do extensive damage to your furniture, drapes, and carpet while trying to find an escape. The mere presence of such pests bring exposure to disease.

A strong, professional-model chimney cap eliminates the dangers wich birds and animals present, and it also prevents leaves and debris from entering the chimney.

• Lack of Proper Spark Arrestor

A chimney without a proper spark arrestor may allow airborne embers to ignite shingles, leaves, trees, or grass. Every chimney needs a chimney cap with a spark arrestor for maximum safety.

•  Loose or Missing Bricks and General Chimney Deterioration

Loose bricks and chimney deterioration can be symptomatic of a major problem. In many cases, minor repairs done early will save huge repair bills later. In all cases, this condition should be checked by a professional immediately to avert the dangers of fire hazard or structural failure.

•  Does It Need Cleaning ?

National Fire Protection Code 211 requires an annual safety inspection of all chimney systems. Here's why: In a woodburning system, incomplete combustion results in unburned residue which rises in the chimney as a part of the smoke. This residue is deposited on the inside of the chimney walls, presenting a major fire hazard to the home.

Gas and Oil flues should also be checked on an annual basis for any soot deposits or debris blockage wich could lead to a dangerous carbon monoxide poisoning. A chimney professional can clean the inside of your chimney to eliminate theese dangers.

• Does It Need Waterproofing ?

Waterproofing is the best preventive maintenence you can give the exterior of your chimney against premature aging and expensive repairs.  (as said by: Copperfield Chimney on There Want a Safe Chimney brochure)                                                                                                                                                         

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© 2004 Royalty Chimney Sweep & Repair