Sitting next to a cozy and warm fireplace enjoying a cup of hot cocoa during chilly winter evenings – the perfect winter memory. While it’s all fun and glory, it can get dangerous for the elderly and kids without some essential safety measures.
There are over 50,000 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning in the US every year with at least 430 deaths. Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when chimneys get blocked and the odorless gases accumulate in the house rather than venting.
Whether you’re a parent, homeowner, caregiver, or guest, here are some fireplace safety tips that can help protect your loved ones.
Educate Them
First things first – education.
Giving your children the correct information about the dangers of fire and how you can avoid fireplace injury is very important.
Start teaching kids from a very young age about the uses and dangers of fire.
Don’t Leave Them Unattended
Children and pets are curious little creatures who love exploring. Elderly people can lose their balance or fall when someone is not around to help them keep steady.
Do not leave children, pets, the elderly, and people with disabilities unattended in a room with a fireplace. It can lead to severe consequences.
Don’t Skip Annual Inspections & Cleaning
Chimney fires due to creosote buildup is a widespread incident. Other than fires, blocked chimneys can lead to ventilation failures. This can cause carbon monoxide poisoning that, at many incidents, can cause fatalities.
Make sure you get annual chimney inspections and chimney cleaning to have your fireplace and chimney working in proper condition.
Visit our website to schedule an appointment today.
Store Tools in a Safe Place
Fireplace tools, such as poker and shovels, are hazardous due to their sharp pointy edges and their ability to stay hot for a long time after use. If it falls on children, pets, or the elderly, it can cause severe burns.
Store all the tools in a box with proper closure that children cannot access. During use, do not leave them unattended to prevent anyone from tripping over them and falling.
Install Fireplace Screen
We all love a nice crackling fire. However, each crack is the sound of a possibility of ember formation. When those embers pop, they can burn anyone sitting nearby or start a fire.
Install a fireplace screen to keep the popping embers within the fireplace and away from your loved ones.
Contact our experts to find the best screen fit for your fireplace.
Fireplace Gate
It’s always a good idea to implement safety measures as a precaution to prevent serious injuries. Using a baby gate or any other sturdy gate around the fireplace perimeters is a great way to keep children, pets, and elderly people at a safe distance.
While you may have told them repeatedly about the safe distance to maintain from the fire, a gate will ensure they are safe even when you’re not around.
Contact our fireplace specialists to help you install the best gate for your fireplace.
Regardless of the relationship you hold with the people in your home, it’s your responsibility to keep them safe. While all the tips mentioned above are significant preventive measures, it’s best not to rely on them entirely. Make sure you are ALWAYS present and alert to catch problems and prevent them.
Contact CT Chimney Repairs to schedule an appointment for any fireplace service or chimney service in Connecticut.
