WOOD STOVES AND FIREPLACES
Wood stoves and fireplaces are becoming a very common heat source in homes. Careful attention to safety can minimize their fire hazard.
To use them safely:
- Be sure the fireplace or stove is installed properly.
- Wood stoves should be of good quality, solid construction and design, and should be UL listed.
- Have the chimney inspected annually and cleaned.
- Do not use flammable liquids to start or accelerate any fire.
- Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace opening to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out and help prevent the possibility of burns to occupants.
- Do not use excessive amounts of paper to build roaring fires in fireplaces. It is possible to ignite creosote in the chimney by overbuilding the fire.
- Never burn charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal can give off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide.
- Before you go to sleep, be sure your fireplace fire is out and never close your damper with hot ashes in the fireplace.
- NEVER break a synthetic log apart to quicken the fire or use more than one log at a time.
OTHER FIRE SAFETY TIPS
- Avoid using electrical space heaters in bathrooms, or other areas where they may come in contact with water.
- Use hot water or a UL labeled device such as a hand held dryer for thawing frozen water pipes.
- Be sure that all the windows used as emergency exits open easily.
- Never use a range or an oven as a supplemental heating device.
- If you use an electric heater, be sure not to overload the circuit.
- Never discard hot ashes inside or near the home.
