The holiday season is one of the busiest and happiest times of the year. One of the most popular holiday activities is sitting around the fireplace with your family and friends. The fireplace is a great place for catching up with guests and celebrating the holidays, so you want to be sure this area is prepared. Safety should be on the top of the list of things to do when you are getting ready for the holidays. According to HouseLogic, the US Fire Administration has reported that more residential fires occur on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day than any other day of the year, and, even more serious, the number of fatalities and the amount of property damage from holiday fires increases as well. Aelite Chimney Specialties wants our customers to enjoy a safe and happy holiday season, so we would like to share these five fireplace safety tips.
Schedule a professional chimney sweeping and inspection.
To be sure your chimney and fireplace system is safe to use, you should get a professional opinion by scheduling your annual chimney sweeping and inspection before the holiday season begins. Aelite Chimney Specialties provides this maintenance service from our chimney sweeps who have been certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), so you can trust us to do the best job.
Be careful of what you put on your mantel.
Although it is traditional to hang Christmas stockings from the mantel, this is a fire hazard whenever the fireplace is in use. Of course, you can always remove the stockings when you light a fire, but it can be less of a hassle to find another spot to hang them, especially if you use your fireplace frequently. You should also keep decorations made from combustible materials, such as greenery and ribbons, off the mantel to avoid an accidental fire.
Choose your Christmas tree location wisely.
One of the most common causes of holiday fires has to do with Christmas trees. You should make sure your tree is placed at least three feet away from your fireplace and other heating appliances. Live trees can be so flammable that they can engulf an entire room in flames in just 30 seconds.
Check your holiday lights before putting them on the tree.
Another reason why Christmas trees cause so many fires involves the decorative lights. Check each strand of lights to be sure there are no broken sockets or frayed wires. If you find a damaged string of lights, you should replace it. Also, be careful of overloading your lights. Never run more than three strands of lights together from end to end.
Only burn seasoned firewood in your fireplace.
Never burn wrapping paper in your fireplace. Although it may seem easier to toss used paper into the fireplace instead of the trash, the dye on wrapping paper can cause flash fires that can become large and out of control very quickly.
Aelite Chimney Specialties wishes you and your family a happy and safe holiday season. Contact us for all of your fireplace and chimney maintenance, repair, and installation needs.