AVOID A HOLIDAY HAZARD THIS SEASON
Here are a few tips for burning a fire without turning your fireplace into a holiday hazard:
- Burn wood only in a wood-burning fireplace. Never burn gift wrap, boxes or packing in the fireplace. They burn too quickly and generate too much heat.
- If you Christmas stockings from the mantel, do it when you’re not burning a fire. Place them far enough away from the flames so they won’t catch on fire.
- Install a screen in front of the fireplace and use it every time you light a fire. It will keep sparks from flying into the room.
- Never use gasoline or lighter fluid start an indoor fire.
- Choose seasoned, dried wood for use in the fireplace.
- Put the fire out before you leave the house or go to bed. Don’t let it burn out on its own.
- Remove ashes regularly. Place them in a metal container and store them outside, far away from anything that’s flammable.
- Don’t burn your Christmas tree in the fireplace after the holidays. The needles pose a hazard because they burn too quickly and too hot.
- Have your chimney cleaned and inspected every year before the holidays.
- Install a carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home.
