Fireplace Safety

Posted: January 14, 2016

Posted: January 14, 2016
Posted by: David O’Connell, President of Wilson Oil and Propane

There is nothing like a beautiful fireplace when it gets cold outside. Fireplaces provide warmth, comfort, and can be the center of your home during the winter for your family and friends. Before you get cozy, there are important fireplace safety tips you should know.

Safety is a concern with any type of fireplace and there are some precautions to keep in mind:

• Keep clothing, furniture draperies and other flammable materials a safe distance from your fireplace.
• Be sure decorations are not hanging too low or too close – keep everything away from the heat or flame.
• The area around the fireplace gets extremely hot, so always supervise pets and children during and after using the fireplace.
• If you have a remote control unit, be sure to keep that out of reach of curious youngsters and pets as well.
• Built-in or freestanding safety screens and barriers can help to reduce the potential for burns and stray embers.

Pro tip: Make sure the area near the fireplace is properly ventilated and equipped with both fire detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and test these monthly. If you don’t remember when you last replaced the batteries, now is probably a good time to do so.

At least once a year, have your fireplace inspected by a professional chimney sweep. With a certified chimney sweep, your fireplace will be professionally evaluated and cleaned for maximum safety and efficiency. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, even one-tenth of an inch of soot collected inside the fireplace can lower the heat-transfer efficiency by as much as 50 percent!

At Wilson, your comfort is our top priority. Contact us for information about fuel oil and propane delivery, heating and cooling equipment and indoor air quality.