It is that time of year again, when families will start taking advantage of their fireplaces: whether it is for ambiance, heating, relaxation or fun. Fireplaces can
become very dangerous if not properly handled and maintained. We would like to offer the following tips to help reduce the risks associated with fireplace/chimney fires.
Here are five things you can easily do to reduce your risk of a chimney fire:
• Use extremely dry wood, sometimes referred to as "seasoned wood." The more moisture that is in your wood, the thicker and heavier the smoke becomes and the greater the chance of creosote buildup.
• Do not burn evergreen wood in your fireplace as this type of wood creates more creosote build-up than other types.
• Rather than building large, very dense fires, build small fires with less wood. Working with less wood can help reduce the amount of smoke emitted by the fire, ultimately lessening the amount of creosote formed on the inside of the chimney.
• Try to avoid burning trash, paper towels, wrapping paper, cardboard, paper bags, etc. Burning materials other than wood can increase the chance of sparks that can cause chimney fires.
• Monitor fire temperatures with a thermometer to make sure the fire does not burn too quickly and at too high of a temperature.
• Search your yellow pages for a professional chimney inspector and cleaner. Have your chimney cleaned and inspected at least once a year.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the Benton County Fire Marshal, Will Hanna.
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