4 Fireplace Safety Tips for a Toasty Winter Season

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Wood burning fireplaces can be great additions to your home. They can help your space feel warm and atmospheric during the chilly winter. Make sure it’s working its best with these 4 tips!

1. Keep Up with Inspections and Cleanings

Your chimney and fireplace should be inspected and cleaned by a professional every year, as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association. Inspections can catch problems like a buildup of soot, debris, or cracking or loose bricks and mortar, which can lead to deterioration.

2. Perform Fire Safety

Safety screens or glass doors on your fireplace prevent embers and sparks from escaping and damaging combustibles, such as furniture, curtains, or books. During your seasonal home maintenance checks, check the batteries of your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to keep your home safe whether your fireplace is in use or not.

3. Practice Safe Burning

It’s important to minimize smoke and creosote buildup to ensure you’re heating your space effectively. Creosote is a toxic byproduct from burning that restricts airflow and can lead to chimney fires. Professionals recommend always burning dry and well-aged wood. Smaller pieces of wood can be better fire starters than larger logs because they burn more quickly and produce less smoke.  

4. Ensure Safe Ventilation

Your damper is a movable plate that sits above the fireplace and before the flue. The flue is a duct that directs smoke and other gasses out of your home and prevents high heat and toxic fumes from entering your living space. Both the damper and the flue should be open before starting a fire and keep it open until the embers have completely stopped burning.

Outside of your home, trimming or pruning tree limbs prevents fire hazards and allows proper airflow as smoke is carried up and out of your home. Installing a chimney cap can help prevent blockages as well.

A Cozy and Safe Winter

Your wood burning fireplace can be a great source of ambiance at home, especially when you take the steps to make sure it’s heating effectively. Some renovation programs may allow for fireplace projects and improvements.

Regardless of your home needs, we have programs that can help you finance! Contact us to connect with a Loan Originator and get started.