Heating

As the seasons change to fall and winter, many people are drawn back to the coziest gathering spot in their homes, the fireplace or wood stove. Beyond being cozy, fireplaces and woodstoves can provide a fantastic heat source for your home.

No matter what type of fireplace or woodstove you have, there are a few key safety considerations to keep in mind.

They Get Hot!

  1. Whether you are using gas or solid fuel like firewood, fireplaces, and woodstoves get hot, they can burn skin and ignite flammable materials near them. Be sure to keep children and anything flammable away. Only use fireplaces and woodstoves when someone will be around to monitor them and be watchful of young ones. Again never leave a fire unattended and put out the fire before going to bed or when leaving the house.

    2. They Need To Be Clean

  2. All fireplaces and woodstoves need to have a regular inspection and need to be cleaned at least annually. Call your local chimney sweep to get an inspection and cleaning.

    3. Avoid Fire Starters And Use Good Wood

  3. Never use flammable liquids to start a fire. Use only seasoned dry hardwood. Soft and moist wood accelerates creosote buildup which can cause chimney fires. For pellet stoves, only burn high-quality dry, seasoned wood pellets.

    4. Avoid Burning Cardboard And Household Trash

  4. Never Burn Household Trash
    Build hot fires that burn completely to avoid excess smoke. Avoid burning cardboard boxes, trash, or debris in your fireplace or wood stove as most of these materials contain chemicals that can be hazardous.

    5. Maintain Smoke Detectors

  5. Last but not least, make sure you have working smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detectors on every level of your home and near every sleeping area. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.

Have additional questions about updating, replacing, or maintaining your fireplace or woodstove? If so, give us a call at (971) 260-9553or send us an email anytime! We love fireplaces and have an entire wall of available models at our Dallas Oregon showroom. Visit us anytime at 1827 S. Main St. Dallas, OR 97338.

company icon