Whether it’s the peak fireplace season or the warmer months, ensuring the safety and proper functioning of your wood fireplace is crucial. Regular maintenance and cleaning are key factors in keeping your wood fireplace safe and in good working condition.
Off-Season Safety Tips
The warmer months provide the ideal opportunity to perform maintenance and cleaning tasks for your wood fireplace. Be sure to visually inspect the chimney, chimney cap, and damper. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, consider hiring a professional inspection. Due to the accumulation of creosote from wood burning, it’s essential to have the chimney cleaned at least once a year.
Keep an eye on any tree branches that may be encroaching on your chimney. Overhanging limbs can pose a fire hazard, so it’s important to routinely trim them back.
Install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in the same room as the fireplace and in nearby bedrooms. These detectors will alert you to any potential air contamination and the presence of a fire.
When cleaning ash and debris from the chimney, ensure that the fire has been completely extinguished for at least 24 hours to avoid dealing with hot embers. Regularly cleaning the chimney before the start of a new wood burning season reduces dangerous buildup and helps your wood fireplace function more efficiently.
On-Season Safety Tips
When building a fire, start and maintain it at a manageable size to ensure it remains under control. Use only dry, cured wood for burning, as using unseasoned wood can lead to increased creosote buildup and potential exposure to mold for your family.
Properly store your wood in a dry, ventilated area away from the interior of your home to prevent pests and allow for adequate drying. This will help to ensure that the wood is ready for efficient burning.
Before lighting the first fire of the season, check that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are functioning correctly. While these alarms typically have low battery alerts, it’s a good practice to verify their functionality.
Exercise caution and use proper tools when tending to a fire. Avoid direct contact with the glass doors, as they naturally become hot during use. All wood fireplaces should be equipped with guards, such as metal-mesh screens or glass doors, to prevent hot embers from escaping.
We hope that these safety tips will assist you in maintaining the year-round safety and efficiency of your wood fireplace. If you’re considering installing a new wood fireplace or updating your current one, we invite you to visit Brekke Fireplace Shoppe in Rochester, MN, where you can explore our impressive collection.