Safety Precautions for Homeowners to Follow When Using a Fireplace

A fireplace brings an ambiance of tranquility and warmth to its surroundings. With the backdrop of a glowing flame, you can gather around it with your friends, family, and kids and have a gala time. If you are not taking proper care of your fireplace, it can result in a fire hazard. However, most homeowners are confused about the safety precautions they need to follow to keep their fireplace safe and in good condition. So if you are one of them, here are some tips that you can follow to keep your fireplace safe and warm.

Never Use Chemicals

Combining chemicals with fire is never a wise decision. Refrain from using a charcoal starter, kerosene, or gasoline for an easy start of the fire. Besides, do not burn plywood, pressure-treated, or painted. Burning chemicals or anything other than fireplace wood can produce various toxic chemical fumes that can affect your health severely. Moreover, if you have a marble fireplace surround, then toxic chemical fumes can also discolor the white surface of your fireplace.

Choose The Appropriate Wood

The burning of a certain wood type depends on its quality. Hardwoods like oak usually burn hot and for a long time whereas softwoods such as pine usually burn very fast and fiercely hot. However, if you do burn softwoods that are not dried properly, then the content of water in the resins would release high volumes of creosote. Creosote is a toxic element that can cause skin irritation and rashes. It can also cause burns if it comes in contact with your eyes. Hence, you can buy modern fireplace screens to prevent any burning residue from coming out of the fireplace.

Clear The Surrounding Area

The area of your fireplace should be clear of flammable objects such as books, newspapers, drapes, and furniture. When these objects get close to a fire, they can easily catch fire and increase the risk of your whole house set on fire. Hence, to make your fireplace surroundings beautiful and safe, you can look for modern marble fireplace mantels that also come with customized design features.

Clean Regularly

Clean out the residue and ashes from your previous fires every time you start a new one. The layer of ash should be less than one inch as a thicker layer can limit the air supply that can make you choke due to more smoke. You should also invest in good, modern fireplace tools or individual wrought iron fireplace tools for cleaning your fireplace and the chimney.

Other Safety Recommendations

When you start a fire, do not leave it unattended. Before going to bed or leaving the house, ensure that it has been fully exhausted. Apart from that, keep pets and children three feet away from the fire. Buy fireplace-friendly gadgets like carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to prevent the buildup of harmful, toxic gas.

Wrapping Up

You can prevent a lot of hazards when you maintain your fireplace and follow safety precautions while using it. There are various fireplace e-commerce websites like Akgoods that offer a wide range of marvelous products like cast stone fireplaces, mantels, and associated tools. They not only provide top-quality products but also sell them at steal-away prices.

Blog Source: https://www.akgoods.com/blog