As we approach the holidays, you may be looking forward to family gatherings, dinners with friends, and special celebrations. If your holidays include having a cozy fire in the fireplace, candles on the table, twinkle lights on the tree, or extra space heaters around the house to warm things up, you’re not alone. For many of us, these are essential to the holiday spirit. But before hanging those stockings by the fireplace, make sure to follow our chimney protection tips for holiday fire hazards.
Ensure Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Are Working
Making sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level are in working order is imperative. Be sure to have spare batteries that will fit your detectors on hand. Hearing that loud chirp sound when your smoke detector battery needs replacing and realizing you don’t have any spare batteries can be quite the bummer.
Burn Seasoned Wood
When you’re burning wood in your fireplace or wood stove, make sure that you are only burning seasoned wood. The less moisture there is in the wood, the less soot and creosote buildup will happen.
Keep Presents Under The Tree
Because of combustibility, it is NOT a good idea to place your neatly wrapped gifts or boxes near the fireplace while a fire is present. Make sure to keep all combustible materials at least 3 feet away from any candles, portable heater, wood stoves and fireplaces.
Never Burn Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper, boxes, cardboard packaging, and color paper contains additives that make burning these types of materials dangerous. The chemicals used in these products cause extremely high temperatures when burned, which can easily trigger a chimney fire.
Do Not Burn Your Christmas Tree
While it may seem like a good idea to chop up your Christmas tree and throw it in the fireplace…let us reiterate that it is NOT, in fact, a good idea. Unless the tree has been properly dried for burning, it can easily become a fire hazard. If you want to burn your tree, an outdoor fire pit is better.
At Cummins Restorations, we’re not here just for chimney inspections or sweeps, we’re here to make sure you stay safe when using your fireplace. If you have questions about fire safety and what you should and should not burn in your fireplace, feel free to get in touch with our amazing team at (416) 992-7965 or cumminsrestoration@rogers.com.
