Fireplace Safety
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Updated: October 06, 2009 11:24 PM
A Fireplace becomes dangerous when accumulated tar or creosote catches fire or from uncontrolled burning or over-fuelling. Other causes of fireplace-related fires are substandard design or installation and lack of safety precautions.
Open the damper before lighting the fire, and keep it open until the ashes are cool enough to touch.
Ensure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house.
Do not store combustible materials such as paper or wood too close to the fireplace.
Use a screen in front of the fireplace opening to protect children and to prevent embers from escaping and igniting carpets, etc.
Never leave children alone near a fireplace.
Use dry, well-seasoned wood in small amounts.
Have chimneys cleaned and serviced at regular intervals by a professional.
Never overload your fireplace.
Never use charcoal starter fluids, gasoline or any flammable substance to start fires.
When using artificial logs, burn only one at a time and follow instructions on the wrapping.
Always place the ashes in a metal container and take them outside the house.
The Winter Season and Carbon Monoxide
It is important to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home. However, carbon monoxide detectors do not replace the need for prevention through yearly maintenance and inspection of heating systems and appliances.
Smoke inhalation from fires is the most common form of carbon monoxide poisoning. Cigarette smoke and vehicle exhaust are the most common sources of regular carbon monoxide exposure.
There must be an adequate supply of air for complete burning or combustion, or an excessive amount of carbon monoxide will accumulate indoors. Ensure that your wood stove or fireplace is not competing – for long periods of time – with your clothes dryer, kitchen, bathroom and attic vent fans, central vacuum cleaners and kitchen barbecues, which exhaust air from the home and so starve the furnace or the fireplace of oxygen.
Proper venting of fuel-burning appliances to the outside is also essential to prevent collection of carbon monoxide gas inside buildings.
Never insulate or try to seal up a drafty hood, wind cap or exhaust vent on any natural gas appliance (furnace, water heater, range, dryer, space heater or fireplace). Keep all fuel-burning equipment free of lint, dust and trash. Don’t store anything close to the equipment that could restrict air circulation.
Do a visual inspection of the equipment to look for signs of equipment problems, such as soot on a fireplace face, water collecting near a burner or rusted venting. If even a small doubt exists, have the equipment inspected by a qualified technician.
Periodically check vent pipes between gas appliances and the chimney for corrosion or rust.
Equipment that uses natural gas should show a clear blue flame—a yellow or orange flame may indicate a problem. If a problem appears, call a qualified technician.
Ensure a source of fresh air is available, for an example an open window or flue, when operating a wood-burning fireplace.
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