With the winter months still upon us and many cool nights ahead for enjoying your fireplace, how can you make sure your fireplace is safe for you and your family.
Here are some great tips for a safe fireplace:
- If you haven’t had your fireplace swept this year, schedule an appointment with a certified chimney sweeper to have your fireplace cleaned. The National Fire Protection Association suggests that you have your chimney swept once a year to remove dangerous soot and debris that can cause chimney fires or damage to your chimney structure.
- During your chimney inspection, make sure to communicate any odd issues you have noticed about your chimney. This could be a strange smell or gas, a draft or anything out of the ordinary.
- During your chimney inspection, have your fireplace checked for damage including structural, lining or water damage. Check for cracks, loose bricks, deterioration or missing mortar.
- Inspect the seal on your glass doors or your ash dump. When there are issues with these components, your fire can receive too much oxygen and cause an over-fire.
- If you have a gas fireplace with a blower, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned. Most fireplace blowers don’t have a filter, so it is necessary to clean it to prevent buildup.
- Inspect the damper, the valve or plate that regulates airflow inside of your chimney—assure that it is working properly before operating your fireplace.
- Make sure you have a properly fitted chimney cap to keep out birds, rain, squirrels, leaves and other debris from entering.
- Replace the batteries of any smoke or carbon monoxide detectors or test your alarms to make sure they are working properly.
Finally, make sure you hire a professional to inspect your chimney. This specialist should know exactly what to look for so you can keep your family and home as safe as possible.
Call RMR Today to Schedule an Inspection
(847) 290-1883
Recent Comments