If you are looking for a romantic spot to spend New Year’s Eve this year, your fireplace can provide the best atmosphere for the all-important champagne toast at midnight. When you are snuggling in front of the warm and cozy flames, the last thing on your mind is dealing with an accidental flash fire or a smoky fireplace. To avoid a hazardous situation, Ace Chimney Sweeps would like to share with you a few fireplace safety tips. As chimney professionals, we place our top priority on the safety of our customers, and we hope we can help to make this year’s New Year’s Eve the best one ever for you and your special someone by sharing these reminders.
Keep the mantel clear of decorations.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there is an increase in reported residential fires during the holidays, and one of the leading causes is decorations being too close to a heating source, including fireplaces. You should make sure that your mantel is free of any decorations that are made from flammable materials to avoid the risk of an accidental fire. To be completely safe, you should keep decorations and any other combustible item, including furniture and curtains, at least six feet away from a burning fire.
Open the damper before lighting a fire.
If you do not use your fireplace very much, it can be easy to forget this important step. However, a closed damper can make it challenging to get a fire started, and if you can get one going, the smoke will be forced back into the room because it cannot exhaust properly. This is why you should always open the damper before lighting a fire in your fireplace.
Stack your firewood safely.
To keep the fire and its ashes inside the firebox, Ace Chimney Sweeps recommends that you stack the logs near the back of the box when you are building the fire. You should also refrain from overloading the firebox with firewood. We recommend that you choose firewood that has been properly seasoned. This type of wood has been allowed to dry for at least six months after being cut and provides longer lasting, cleaner burning, and warmer fires.
Following these fire safety tips can help you enjoy a romantic New Year’s Eve in front of the fireplace, but to be completely sure your fireplace will work safely, you should have your chimney professionally swept and inspected. Contact us today at Ace Chimney Sweeps to schedule your appointment for our professional chimney maintenance services.