|
Fireplace safety
 Lets
take the time to be safe with our fireplace.
Below are tips to keep your
fireplace safe.
Fireplace mantels make homes beautiful. They can
really enhance the quality of your home.
Fireplace Safety
- Have your chimney inspected annually for
damage and obstructions.
- Clean the chimney regularly to avoid
buildup, also known as creosote, that could ignite your roof.
- Be sure to use a screen in front of your
fireplace large enough to catch rolling logs or sparks.
- Don't use flammable liquids to start the
fire.
- Don't use excessive amounts of paper to
build a fire. It's possible to ignite soot in the chimney by
over-building the fire.
- Never burn charcoal in your fireplace.
Burning charcoal gives off deadly amounts of carbon monoxide.
- Be sure no flammable materials hang down
from or decorate your mantel. A spark from your fireplace could
ignite these materials and cause a fire.
- Never close your damper with hot ashes in
the fireplace. A closed damper can help hot ashes build up heat,
causing the fire to flare up and ignite your room.
- Store cool ashes in a tightly sealed
metal container.
Virginia Department of Fire Programs / 101 N. 14th Street, 18th
floor / Richmond, VA 23219-3684 / USA vdfp.state.va.us
Helpful articles and common questions regarding
fireplace mantels:
|
|
