Follow These Helpful Safety Tips from Handyman Connection for a Warm and Safe Home Fireplace
Ensure a safe and warm fireplace season with Handyman Connection’s essential tips. If you’re fortunate enough to have a fireplace in your home, you know that winter means cozying up before the fire and basking in its soothing warmth. However, it’s crucial to remember that fires can be deadly if proper safety measures aren’t in place. Here are some recommendations to ensure the safety of your home and family while still enjoying the full warmth of your fireplace:
- Annual Chimney Cleaning and Inspection: Engage a qualified professional to clean your chimney every season before lighting the first fire. This essential step helps remove creosote, a highly flammable byproduct of wood fires that can accumulate in your chimney. The contractor should also inspect the fireplace thoroughly to identify potential hazards.
- Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector: Carbon monoxide gas, often called the “silent killer,” is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases if the fireplace flue is mistakenly left closed while a fire is burning or accidentally closes over a smoldering fire after everyone has gone to bed. Protect your home and family by installing a carbon monoxide detector, especially if you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace. If you don’t have one, Handyman Connection’s electrical handyman services can help with installation.
- Never Leave an Unsupervised Fire: Avoid starting a fire in your fireplace unless you know you’ll be present for the entire duration of its burning. Even though most fireplaces come equipped with safety features, accidents can still happen. It’s unwise to let a fire burn unsupervised. Refrain from using water to extinguish a fire, as it could damage the fireplace’s interior and cause hot embers to scatter, potentially starting a fire.
- Regular Fireplace Cleaning: Prevent the buildup of ashes from wood-burning fires by cleaning out the fireplace regularly. Ashes can accumulate quickly, especially with frequent fires throughout the week. Allowing ashes to pile up can result in smoldering embers being left behind, which could catch fire unexpectedly. Make sure to thoroughly clean out the fireplace at least once a week to maintain both safety and functionality.
By following these simple guidelines and safety precautions, you can enjoy your fireplace season to the fullest while keeping your home and family safe. If you would like to have more information about some of the other services that our helpful handymen provide, check out our What We Do page!
Get Help From Handyman Connection
Enjoying the warmth and comfort of a crackling fire is one of the joys of having a fireplace, but it’s also important to use safe fire practices. To ensure that your home is ready for fireplace season and all necessary general home repair tasks are completed before the worst winter weather hits, give the experts at Handyman Connection a call today at 1-800-88-HANDY. Or, you can also just Request an Estimate online to schedule an estimate appointment for you to meet with one of our professional handymen to help get your home fireplace ready for the cold weather.