Winter brings along Jack or Jacqueline Frost, occasional snow days, and potential fire hazards. For one thing, fire hazards arise in the winter simply because your fireplace and chimney get used a lot. Old Smokey’s Fireplace & Chimney knows a thing or two about fireplaces and chimneys, as our name declares, and we confidently like to share our experience and knowledge on these matters.
From years of making customers feel satisfied, Old Smokey’s knows that best practices and preventive measures can help reduce the chance of fire hazards in your home during the winter season of frequent burning. Fire-safety professionals offer some common-sense suggestions.
Among them:
- Use a screen in front of the fireplace to protect against flying sparks.
- Never remove fireplace embers or ash when they are hot. Remove ash or embers by placing them in a metal container with a lid. Never place them in a plastic or paper bag or other container that is not fire-resistant. Do not dispose of embers or ash indoors or close to your home or another structure.
- Never use gasoline or any other flammable liquids to start a fire.
- Use only seasoned firewood.
- Never leave a fire unattended or let it smolder.
There are a few other considerations:
- Although it may be a common practice, don’t burn wrapping paper. Ink from wrapping paper may give off toxic fumes. Furthermore, paper burns quickly and can produce a high flame. This high flame might reach into the chimney and cause built-up creosote to catch fire. Another hazard of burning paper is that embers can rise up from the chimney and escape, posing a fire hazard to your roof or nearby structures.
- A key to preventing fire-safety hazards during the winter burning season is your annual fireplace and chimney inspection. If you are concerned about possible creosote build-up or the formation of combustible residues, get your chimney and venting systems inspected. Old Smokey’s follows standards and recommendations of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). We perform professional chimney inspections, chimney sweeping and chimney repairs, if needed.
- Even though we are well past the Christmas season, some people keep their tree up for quite a while. When you are done with that tree, do not toss it into your fireplace. That’s not a safe practice.
We are proud of our Old Smokey’s trained professionals!
For more than 20 years, Old Smokey’s has delivered excellence to homeowners in northern Indiana, northern Ohio and mid-Michigan. Folks from Elkhart in the west to Ypsilanti in the east, from Lansing in the north to Defiance and Fort Wayne in the south are served by Old Smokey’s.
Call us at 260-424-0009 or schedule an appointment online.
Old Smokey’s is here for you during the winter and the three other seasons – for fire safety, and any other concerns you may have about your fireplace and chimney.