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Soon enough everyone will have their homes decorated with lights, tinsel, snowmen, and everything else that embodies the spirit of the holiday. For lots of families, this always brings about a fun time and lots of memories, but it’s important to practice caution if you have a fireplace in your home!
We take pride in promoting fire safety and better chimney care, so our customers can relax with family and enjoy peace of mind season after season. Read up on some of our tips below, so you and your loved ones can stay better protected this holiday. Then, give us a call with any questions and/or concerns you’re experiencing regarding your fireplace or chimney. The team at A-1 Chimney Specialist is always eager to help!
The fireplace mantel may seem like the ideal place to throw a lot of decor, but it can lead to some dangerous scenarios. Any flammable decor should be kept a safe distance away from the fireplace.
Along with this, never place old decorations, wrapping paper, empty boxes, paper plates, or any type of garbage in the fireplace. When decorating your home, throwing trash into the fire may seem like a convenient route to take, but it can lead to creosote accumulation and smoke backing up into your living space. Both are unideal and dangerous.
If you set up a fake tree every year, then you likely won’t have to worry too much about it catching fire. Just double check that it is flame-resistant (most are), then be sure to keep presents, decorations, and the like well away from the fireplace.
Now, if you set up a real tree every year, you’ll want to keep it well-watered, as the drier it is, the easier it could potentially catch fire. Also, at the end of the season, never burn the tree in your fireplace. This is bad for your system, and the wood won’t be seasoned enough to burn efficiently, encouraging creosote build-up and increasing your risk of chimney fires.
Because there is an increased risk of fire throughout the holiday season, be sure you’re practicing fire safety in your home. Keep a working fire extinguisher nearby, and be sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. Be sure to test these devices regularly and change the batteries, as needed. These units have played a big role in getting countless homeowners and their families safely out of their home in the event of a fire!
It’s also important to map out multiple routes out of each room of the house, and then practice your escape plan with your family from time to time. This way you can save precious seconds in the event of an emergency. And remember – once you’re out of the house, do not re-enter it for any reason!
Make sure your system is all set and safer for use by depending on our team for your annual chimney inspection and cleaning. The CSIA certified team at A-1 Chimney Specialist is here to help with all of your holiday needs!