SafeTips
Fireplaces

Mishap Data

• More than one in three Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-burning appliances as the primary way to heat their homes. Many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.
• Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes.

Do’s and Don’ts

• Don't use gasoline to start a fire. Use paper, kindling and dry wood.
• Use a screen to keep sparks from popping out of the fire.
• Make sure that floor coverings and furniture are far enough away from the fireplace.
• Make sure your flue is clean and open, and that your damper works. Open the damper before starting a fire.
• Don't use your fireplace as an incinerator for trash.
• Make sure the fire is out before you leave it alone or go to bed.
• Dispose of ashes in a metal bucket or other metal container. Make sure they are cool.
• Install smoke detectors and make sure they work.
• Keep a 5-pound fire extinguisher on hand. It should be rated for ABC fires, and you should know how to use it.
• Don't use water to extinguish a fire. It can crack the bricks in your hearth. Let the fire burn itself out.
• When burning artificial logs, burn only one at a time. They produce too much concentrated heat for some types of fireplaces.
• Have a chimney sweep inspect and clean your chimney at least once a year.

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