Get fired up, safely
Building a crackling fire in the fireplace adds to the warmth of the Christmas season. But a fireplace poses potential dangers to you and your family.
Here are some safety tips and reminders from www.healthychildren.org and www.hgtv.com.
Fireplace maintenance
* Your chimney should be checked annually by a professional. Even if the chimney is not due for cleaning, it’s important to check for animal nests or other blockages that could prevent smoke from escaping.
* Clean the ashes out of the firebox (the area where the logs burn) at least once a week during the months it’s in use. Leave about an inch of ash because it acts as insulation, allowing the coals to heat faster and retain the heat easier. Too much ash restricts the air supply to the logs and causes smoke.
* Fireplace coals can remain hot enough to start a fire for up to three days. Use a metal shovel to scoop the ashes into a metal container. Store the container far from combustible materials and surfaces and wood floors. (Never use a vacuum to clean up ashes, because live coals may remain in those ashes.)
Before lighting a fire
* Make sure the area around the fireplace is clear of anything that’s potentially flammable (furniture, drapes, newspapers, books). During the Christmas season, remove all greens, boughs, paper garlands and other decorations from the fireplace area.
* Open the damper or flue to draw smoke out of the house. The damper can be checked by looking up into the chimney with a flashlight or mirror. To make sure that the smoke will go up the chimney, light a match and quickly blow it out — watch the smoke to see if it goes up the chimney or out into the room. Do not close the damper until the embers have completely stopped burning.
Tips for lighting a fire
* Open the glass doors or pull aside the screen. Leave the glass doors open while the fire is burning. Replace the fire screen after you light the fire.
* Place kindling, newspaper and logs inside, at the rear of the fireplace on a metal grate. Use kindling wood, rather than flammable liquids, to start the fire. Use dry and well-aged wood. Wet or green wood causes more smoke and contributes to soot buildup in the chimney. Dried wood burns with less smoke and burns more evenly, while smaller pieces of wood placed on a grate burn faster and produce less smoke.
Fireplace safety
* Keep the glass fireplace insert open to allow air to be drawn up to cool the chimney, but keep the screen closed to prevent sparks from jumping onto the carpeting.
* Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Make sure it is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house. If you leave the room while the fire is burning or the fireplace is still hot, take your small child with you.
* Minimize your child’s chance of burns from the hot glass front of some fireplaces. The glass doors can get hot enough to cause serious burns and stay hot long after the fire is out. Safety screens reduce the risk of burns. Put fireplace tools and accessories out of a young child’s reach. Also, remove any lighters and matches.
* Install both a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.
* Keep a fire extinguisher on hand.
* Fireplaces should not be used as furnaces. Use a fireplace for a short-duration fire — no longer than five hours.
* Keep a nonflammable rug (available at fireplace-supply stores) in front of the fireplace so that sparks won’t melt or otherwise damage your carpeting.
* Use fireplace tools to handle burning logs. Never use your hands.
* Do not burn gift wrap paper in the fireplace. A flash fire may result because wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
