4 Fireplace Safety Tips

During winter, most people want to stay in the safety of their home to keep warm. To maintain a cozy indoor temperature, many homeowners choose the traditional way of burning logs in their fireplace. Utilizing a fireplace, however, requires some precaution to preserve your home’s safety. Handyman Connection® of Grapevine shares some fireplace safety tips.

Choose the Right Wood

Only burn dry, cured wood in your fireplace. This is often split, stacked and dried for 8 to 12 months. Cover your log pile, but leave the sides open for air to flow. Note, it takes more time for hardwood, such as hickory, white oak, sugar maple and beech, to burn. Spruce and white pine, on the other hand, are less dense and burn well if dry, but you may need to add more wood to the fire more often.

Use a Chimney Cap

Chimney caps block objects, rain and snow from entering your home through your chimney. They are also an important element that reduces downdrafts. The design of chimney caps allows smoke to escape through the side vents.

Maintain Your Fireplace

Similar to other components of your home, your fireplace should also be maintained regularly. Cleaning this area at least twice a year is a must, especially if you burn over three cords of wood annually. Remember that a cord equals the amount that can fill two full-size pickup trucks.

Avoid Overloading the Fireplace

Overloading may cause the fire to form cracks in your chimney. Remember that small fires generate less smoke, which equates to less creosote buildup. This also helps minimize pollutants from burning wood that can compromise indoor air quality. 

Turn to Handyman Connection of Grapevine for your installation, repair and maintenance projects. Our team will help keep your home cozy and safe all year round through our home improvement services. Call us today at (817) 533-4333, or fill out our online form for an estimate.