Keeping Your Fireplace Safe: Here are 7 Fireplace Safety Tips to help keep your fireplace safe. It’s getting colder although this has been a warmer winter than most. here in Florida, it's getting warmer. We broke the record on Christmas day with 86. The fireplace is important around the holidays because what could be better than a warm fire where the family gathers for all those wonderful events.
Before you light your first fire – Is your fireplace safe? Have you had it checked recently? What are the most important things you need to do.You do know about Carbon Monoxide?If it builds up, you won’t even know what is happening, you become sleepy, dizzy, may have nausea and vomiting: perhaps go into a coma and then.....well, you know.
7 Fireplace Safety Tips
- Have your chimney checked once a year by a certified chimney sweep. Even gas fireplaces need to be checked. To find a sweep go to the Chimney Safety Institute, click here.
- Make sure the sweep checks for cracks, loose bricks, missing mortar. Replace the cap (screening) if necessary. It keeps birds, squirrels and debris out.
- Burn hardwoods that have dried for 6 months. Resinous woods create creosote which is flammable and can build up in the chimney.
- It is very important to have both smoke and carbon detectors in the home; near the fireplace and in the bedrooms. Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer that is toxic to humans, and animals.
- Always Have a fire extinguisher near by.
- Keep pets and animals away from the fireplace.
- Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving or going to bed.
Now you’re ready! Where's that hot chocolate?
Toni Weidman
Broker-associate
Florida Luxury Realty, Trinity FL 34655
727-237-0083
To search homes for sale, click here
Keeping Your Fireplace Safe
Florida Luxury Realty
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Hi Toni-Great tips for all of us. Hope you had a great Christmas. I will be in your neck of the woods in about 3 weeks. Hope we get a chance to meet.
Good morning, Toni Weidman that ...fire looks so welcoming...I've always had a pellet stove or a gas log in my fireplaces.... I'd probably burn my house down with anything that I had to control!!!
Great information thanks for sharing. That fire place looks great.
Excellent safety tips for those that have a fireplace. My first and only house had three.....one in the basement, living room and master bedroom. I miss the house and the fireplaces, but not all that went along with them.
Great tips! I love my natural fireplace and just had it cleaned and inspected this year again
86 degrees yesterday? Gasp! Every fireplace should have a rain cap and spark arrestor on top of the chimney. You would be surprised how many here don't! If water can freely run down your flues in time it will ruin the firebrick in the firebox. Open the damper to run the fireplace, close it when it cools.
Great advice Toni, as we hear about fires every year with homeowners not taking care of their fireplace.
Toni, this is important stuff. After the east coast earthquake, our old houses with terra cotta chimney liners got all shook up. I've yet to sell a house with a chimney that either has a new liner or needs one. Right now, mine needs one.
We have mostly gas fireplaces out here now but you still need to have the lines and equipment serviced and checked to ensure there are no dangerous gas leaks.
These are great tips to remember. It is 14 degrees here in Colorado right now so fireplaces are getting a workout.
Great tips for homeowner or lease tenants who use fire places. Knowing how to clean them will help to prevent fires are smoke damage.
Great reminder Toni Weidman ....
Hope you had a very ...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Lake says HI!
Toni- even in Florida, we've had fireplaces on some of our homes ? This is a good reminder of fireplace safety!
Missing you here in the Rain Toni Weidman Hurry back.