DON'T PLAY WITH FIRE
Regular inspections, cleaning should keep your fireplace in safe working order
Depending on where you live, you've probably had your first snowfall (or five), by now. Here in Ontario, as the days get shorter, we've had a few snowy days blowing in that blustery white stuff.
'Tis the season to stay in, curl up by a warm fire, have a hot drink, and read a book. Your fireplace may play a big role in keeping you warm and cosy all winter long, but it's a serious piece of machinery that if not given the proper care and maintenance can cause more harm than good.
Before you light your first fire this season, make sure your fireplace is in tip-top shape.
Here's how.
FIREPLACE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
A wood-burning fireplace gives you that great ambience of a crackling fire along with a lot of great warmth, but you need to be wary of chimney fires. If the chimney catches fire, it can easily spread to the rest of the home. How do we prevent this from happening? Regular cleanings are the name of the game. When you burn wood, if you're not completely burning the material, it can create creosote.
What happens is if there's not enough airflow into the fire, it won't quite burn completely. The oils in the wood won't entirely burn, so they off-gas and travel up through the smoke. That smoke will condense in your chimney leaving a creosote residue.
Over time, that creosote can build up — and it's extremely flammable, so if it ignites, you're looking at a much hotter fire than you bargained for.
Luckily, with regular cleanings, you can clean away any excess creosote before it builds up to dangerous levels.
Depending on usage, you will probably want to have the chimney cleaned yearly or so to keep it clear and burning cleanly.
You can help prevent creosote buildup by only using dry wood. This allows it to burn more completely as opposed to damp wood that's been left outdoors — or any leftover gift wrap. Anything but dry wood in your fireplace is a hazard. No matter how careful you are, you will build up some creosote in your chimney no matter what. That's why it's so important to have regular cleanings and inspections performed.
For those of you with gas units, they need to be inspected yearly by a licensed professional. When that unit isn't functioning as it should, it's a leading cause for carbon monoxide poisoning.
KNOW THE SIGNS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a leading cause of accidental poisoning, and your gas fireplace, if not properly maintained, could be a culprit.
Minor cases of carbon monoxide poisoning present with similar symptoms to a flu, without the vomiting.
If you start feeling that way, but the symptoms dissipate when you go outdoors, that's a sign that you may have a carbon monoxide leak in the home.
In Ontario, all homes that use at least one fuel-burning appliance are required to have a carbon monoxide alarm. This is key, because most fatal cases of carbon monoxide poisoning happen while we're asleep.
When you hear the alarm go off, it's time to evacuate and call the fire department. Even if they're not required in your municipality, you better install one. It could save your life.
Units should be installed on each level of the home, as well as in any bedrooms, and should be installed at least 15 feet from any fuel burning appliances.
Like your smoke detectors, you should be testing your carbon monoxide detector monthly to make sure the alarm is still in proper working order. If your unit requires batteries, you should change those twice a year.
Pay attention to the expiration date on your unit; they only tend to last five years or so before they need to be replaced.
Today, most units will combine the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
For all the kids out there, don't worry, even if the fireplace and chimney aren't fully functional, Santa can still squeeze through.