Entertaining Guests For The Holidays: Fireplace Safety 101
The odds are that youll be hosting family and friends in your home this holiday season on at least one occasion
. Whether its an impromptu family gathering or a formal holiday dinner, youll likely have the opportunity to gather with the ones you love to enjoy your favorite holiday treats and cocktails around a warm, crackling fire.Although an indoor fire creates a picture-perfect scene for the holidays, its not as safe as many people are led to believe. An improperly maintained fireplace could pose a serious fire hazard that could throw a wrench into even the most carefully planned holiday party.
The Basics of Fireplace Safety
In order to keep a fireplace in the best condition in and out of season, the National Fire Protection Association recommends a professional chimney sweep on an annual basis. This is best done before the winter season begins to remove any debris and soot that may have accumulated.
As a homeowner, you also have the opportunity to regularly inspect your fireplace and chimney to check for visible damage. This may include broken or missing bricks or cracks on the exterior of the chimney; chimney liners may also show signs of damage and cracking.
When stoking a roaring fire at home, its always recommended to burn seasoned hardwoods. Dense woods like oak that have been stored in a dry location for a minimum of six months can be used; green softwoods like pine are not recommended unless well-seasoned since they produce a flammable byproduct called creosote that is highly dangerous.
When building a small fire at home, always remember that less is more. Instead of loading up your fireplace with dozens of logs, start out slowly as a small fire will produce less smoke and create less creosote buildup over time. On top of that, if you regularly burn fires that are too hot or large, it could cause expensive cracks in the chimney that are difficult to repair.
Fireplace Safety Around the Holidays
Now that you understand how to best handle your fireplace in and out of season, you can practice these precautions when entertaining guests for the holidays. Consider the following tips to make your fireplace more guest-friendly this year:
Hang stockings carefully. Although it may seem picturesque, dont hang stockings directly over a burning fire. Stockings can be hung on a mantel when a fireplace isnt lit but should be temporarily moved when a fire is burning.
Keep your Christmas tree away. As you may already be familiar with, Christmas trees are highly flammable. If you dont want your tree to go up in flames, it should be kept a minimum of three feet away from a burning fireplace and other sources of heat.
Decorate your mantel sparingly. Think twice before loading up your mantel with ribbons, lace, tinsel, and other ornaments, which could easily catch fire when exposed to heat.
For the safest fire burning this holiday season, consider an alternative to traditional wood-burning fireplaces, like gel fireplaces that burn clean and without harmful emissions.
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