Fireplace Safety 101
Lighting a fireplace during the winter may sound incredibly enticing, but you need to read these safety tips before you do so.
Lighting a fireplace during the winter may sound incredibly enticing, but you need to read these safety tips before you do so.What’s better than lighting up the fireplace on a cold and stormy winter night to enjoy the warm ambiance of a fire? We’d like to think nothing, but, before you light that kindling, you need to make sure that your fireplace is clean, manageable, and the area surrounding your fireplace is clean and safe. Here are a few safety tips you need before you light your fireplace (and to make sure that’s all clear for Santa). To cover you in case of fires, you need quality home insurance in Orange, CA.
Maintain Your Fireplace – Always make sure that your fireplace is clean. That means that no debris should be blocking the chimney. Check your roof for any leaves that could have fallen from trees to cause blockage, which could send smoke back down and into your house. Ash and soot should be cleaned once a year.
Manage Your Fire – Never use flammable liquids to start a fire; only use seasoned dry wood to prevent creosote (various tars formed by plant-derived material). Never burn cardboard boxes or debris in your fireplace. Always burn your fires behind a metal grate.
Manage the Area Around the Fire – A nonflammable rug keeps sparks and ashes from damaging the carpet or flooring. Keep all flammable items away from the fireplace and make sure that all furniture, drapes, or rugs are far enough away not to be caught by any sparks or ash.
A quality home insurance policy covers your home against fire, storm, smoke, theft, vandalism, and a number of other damages. But, a home insurance policy is only good if you know how to use it to serve you, not the other way around. Call Remland Insurance today for additional safety information or to update your California home insurance policy in Orange County and surrounding areas – 714.532.3341
