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Home & Garden Articles
Fireplaces and Chimney Safety
Thu 03 Sep 2009 - 14:24
Fireplaces and Chimney Safety
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Mike_M_Johnson]Mike M Johnson
Working fireplaces can be dangerous, so it is important to keep your fireplace and chimney safe.
There is very little more welcoming in your home than a real fire crackling in the grate. Even with today's environmentally-friendly fuel, there is something particularly comforting about real flame in your home. It is easy to forget that open fires and even stoves present a danger to children and adults, however, so taking a few simple safety steps can help you to really enjoy your open fireplaces.
Chimney and Fireplaces
In order to have a working open fireplace or fuel-burning stove, you must have a working chimney. Whether you are starting to re-use a fireplace that hasn't burned for a while, or your re-opening a chimney so that you can have an open fire in your home, it is essential that you make sure that the chimney is safe. If your chimney has been capped, shortened or blocked off, you may need to talk to a builder about reconstructing the chimney and the flue so that they meet with current requirements. Depending on the age and condition of your chimney, you will also need to get a chimney sweep to clean out the chimney and check the flue lining, which may need replacing. Because the chimney is the outlet for whatever fire you lay in your fireplace, it is essential that it works properly. A non-function chimney won't take the smoke away from your fire and in extreme circumstances could even cause a chimney fire, which would be disastrous for your home.
General Safety for Fireplaces
Anyone who is dealing with lighting or maintaining a fire needs to take sensible precautions. Good fireplaces will have proper baskets for the fuel so that it is well-contained within the [http://www.englishfireplaces.co.uk/wooden_fireplaces.asp]fireplace and not spilling out onto the hearth. Always stack your fuel carefully to avoid any logs or coal falling off the basket, and light your fire carefully, making sure that any naked flame stays inside the basket. Whilst firelighters are commonly used to help light open fires, never use any other type of accelerant as you could be faced with a much stronger and more dangerous fire. If you have small children or elderly people who could harm themselves near the fire, invest in a fireguard. It should be big enough to cover the area where the fire is, and for small children, a guard that surrounds the whole hearth is recommended. Always use the right tools for stoking the fire or for adding new fuel so that you reduce the risk of burning yourself - lack of flames on your fire does not mean that the fuel is cool - in fact, it usually means just the opposite.
Mike K Johnson, managing director of Aztec Fireplaces Limited - trading as English Fireplaces - is an experienced businessman and entrepreneur. He bought English Fireplaces in December 2006 determined to establish a high quality service focussed competitor to the brand leaders in the fireplace industry.
English Fireplaces, Unit 6, The Brows Industrial Estate, Liss, Hampshire, GU33 6JG
Telephone: 01730 890218 [http://www.englishfireplaces.co.uk]http://www.englishfireplaces.co.uk, [mailto:info@englishfireplaces.co.uk]info@englishfireplaces.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_M_Johnson http://EzineArticles.com/?Fireplaces-and-Chimney-Safety&id=2859620
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