The Ultimate Quick Guide: Fireplace Safety

Everyone loves a nice, warm fire on cold nights. The fireplace can be the centerpiece for family nights or the best spot to catch your favorite team’s game. To ensure a safe and enjoyable fireplace environment, there are some general fireplace safety guidelines to follow.

General Guidelines For Fireplace Safety

• When your fire is burning, always make sure a window is cracked open.
• It is important to clean out ash from previous fires and maintain a clean fireplace.
  • Make sure your fireplace has been cleaned and the chimney is free of debris.
• It is a good practice to keep your fire small (no bigger than the fireplace grate).
  • Keeping the fire small and only replacing logs when necessary will ensure safer surroundings and will require less cleanup.
• NEVER leave a fireplace unattended.
  • When leaving your house, make sure your fire is completely put out.
• It is always good to have a fire extinguisher on hand if something were to go wrong.

Keep Your Loved Ones Safe and Use a Safety Screen

Safety is crucial for small children, babies, and pets. First and foremost, you should educate your child about fireplace safety and the importance of keeping a safe distance from the fire. To help ensure the safety of pets and babies as well, there are options for creating a barrier between the fireplace/glass doors and the rest of the room. The glass in front of a fireplace can get hotter than 350 degrees. Consider buying a screen or fence to keep your children and pets away from any danger. There are many different options for a barrier but it is highly recommended and a simple extra safety measure. As of 2015, all manufacturers offer safety screens for their fireplaces. Get one.

Be Smart About the Area Surrounding Your Fireplace

Being smart about the surrounding area around your fire is crucial. Most importantly, keep anything flammable (books, curtains, blankets, furniture) away from the fire. The easiest way to make sure something doesn’t catch is to have it very far away from the fire. You should keep your fireplace tools in an area that is out of reach of children and pets. Once again, a screen or fence will do wonders here to keep the area surrounding your fireplace clear of anything dangerous.

There is no reason the fireplace needs to be a source of anything besides good times with family and friends. Following these tips and guidelines will help you and your loved ones enjoy fun, stress free time by the fire.