Burning fire should always be attended

Everyone is getting reminders about cooler weather that’s coming. When winter finally comes, many people will be using their fireplaces or wood-burning stoves.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that over 20,000 fires a year start in the fireplaces and solid-fuel appliances used in residences. Before you start using the fireplace again, there are safety measures you can take to ensure that the hearth becomes a haven not a hazard.

• Make sure that a fire burning in the fireplace is always attended.

• Have the chimney checked by a trained technician. You’re concerned not only about fires but also about carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Clear the chimney and hearth space. Keep decorations, furniture, and anything combustible several feet away. Make sure that tree branches and leaves outside are fifteen feet or more away from the chimney top.

• Install a screen – metal or glass doors with a screen – in front of the fireplace. When using the fireplace, close the screen to keep embers and sparks in the fireplace. Keep glass doors open when using the fireplace, and close them only when the fire has gone out: closing the glass door when the fire is burning may cause an explosion.

• Keep animals and debris from entering the chimney by putting a chimney cap.

• Have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed in key places around the house, especially near bedrooms, kitchen and living areas. Check the batteries in the alarms when you adjust time settings for Daylight Saving Time in spring and fall. The next DST change is scheduled Nov. 4.

• Avoid burning Christmas trees, treated wood or trash in the fireplace. Use only hardwood that has been well-seasoned, and has been split for a minimum six months. Wet or poorly dried firewood will create too much smoke and will be difficult to keep burning.

• When a fire is burning, watch the children and pets. Extinguish the fire completely before going to bed.

• Have at least two fire extinguishers (ABC type) in the house; keep one in the kitchen (where most residential fires originate) and one near the fireplace.

• Ensure there is adequate air. Air is needed for combustion. The supply of air inside energy-efficient homes will quickly run out. In the modern home, therefore, air for combustion needs to come from outside the house. There is usually a pipe and vent installed near the chimney exterior. This channel should have a door that, like dampers, needs to be opened to allow air to flow towards the fireplace.