Winter is just around the corner. If you're a winter person, you can't wait to sit by the fireplace with a hot drink in your mug and enjoy the flames and the crackling sound of burning wood. But before you're using the fireplace for the first time, here are some tips you need to know and do before building a fire:
1. Clean the interior of the fireplace.
2. Inspect the firebox. If you see cracks, deteriorated mortar between bricks and/or loose bricks, have the fireplace checked by a professional.
3. Install Carbon Monoxide detectors and fire alarms.
4. Have the fireplace and chimney cleaned before the first use and after the fireplace season is over. Soot build-up is flammable and is a major cause of fire.
5. Open the damper! Building a fire with a closed damper is a fire and choking hazard.
6. Keep the damper open over night after burning a wood fire.
7. Consider installing heat proof glass doors for safety.
8. Always use a grate in the fireplace for improved air circulation inside the firebox.
9. Never burn plastic, trash, treated and/or painted wood, Christmas trees in the fireplace.
10. Never use a flammable liquid.
11. Never leave fire unattended. Always extinguish the fire before leaving the house or going to sleep.
Stay safe and enjoy your fireplace.
