The recent rises in energy prices mean that many people are turning back to fireplaces and woodburning stoves as heat sources, rather than turning the central heating on. However, there are one or two precautions you should take if you are using your fireplace for the first time in many years. Lumberjacks are leading firewood suppliers in the Ipswich area; here are our top fireplace safety tips.
Get Your Fireplace Professionally Checked
The first priority, if you haven’t used your fireplace or chimney for many years, is to get it professionally checked over and swept. An inspection will check that the stack is structurally safe to use, while having it swept should remove any blockages.
The blockages can take the form of a build-up of soot, and particularly creosote. This is a tar-like form of soot which can easily accumulate and needs to be brushed or swept out – it can prevent smoke and air from escaping into the open air.
Other blockages can take the form of birds and other animals (dead or alive) which have either fallen into the stack or made it their home. Many sweepings and inspections reveal the presence of nests.
If you are going to use your fireplace regularly, annual sweepings are usually recommended. When choosing a chimney sweep, it’s always best to go with someone who is locally recommended or is a member of a professional association such as the National Association of Chimney Sweeps or the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps.
Fit Alarms
Always make sure your fire isn’t left unattended and make sure that, if your leave the room, you put a guard in place.
Another important safety tip is to have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors fitted in and around the lounge – while smoke is unpleasant enough, at least you can see and smell it. Carbon monoxide, which fires can also give off, is potentially much more deadly as it’s an odourless, invisible gas which can be fatal if you are exposed to very high levels of it.
Most DIY stores offer these (and some utility companies insist they are fitted close to homes with gas boilers).
Watch What (and How Much) You Burn
Don’t be tempted to put any waste wood (or other forms of rubbish) onto your fire, just because your bins are full, or you think you are being eco-friendly. Such products can emit harmful gases which, even if they don’t harm you, could damage the wider environment. For instance, any old or unused wood panels from fencing and other garden structures may have been treated with chemicals or preservatives which would make them unsafe to burn.
Also avoid using damp wood as a fuel, as this won’t burn particularly efficiently; dry (seasoned) wood will burn better, creating less smoke and creosote within your chimney.
Another top tip is to avoid putting too much fuel on your fire too quickly, as this also increases the risk of a build-up of soot, and of carbon monoxide escaping.
Lighting Your Fire…
If you haven’t used your fireplace for many years, or have just moved into a home with one, you may also be out of practice when it comes to actually lighting a fire. We would recommend getting it going by using crumpled newspaper, or a purpose-built firestarter.
Add some kindling on top of that, and, once the flames are fully established, add your logs or coal.
For fuller details on how to create a long-lasting fire, check out our previous blog post here.
…And Putting it Out
You can let your fire burn out naturally, or you can speed up the process by scooping any cooler ash over the existing embers. Spreading the wood and embers out with a poker will also help starve the fire of any oxygen.
You should always leave a fire screen or guard in place even if you think the fire is out. And remember if you dispose of any ashes at the end of the day you will be saving yourself a job the following day if you want to start a new fire.
Lumberjacks – Firewood Suppliers in and Around Ipswich
At Lumberjacks we stock a range of fuels and accessories to help you produce a roaring fire – even if you haven’t used it for years.
We can supply a range of hardwood logs and sundries, including Twizzlers (natural firelighters). Our Home Fire and Brazier coal varieties are both smokeless so you don’t need to worry about damaging the environment, while one of our log stores will keep your wood dry and in peak burning condition.
If you have any questions about any of our products, you can either click here and fill in the online form, or call us on 01473 461394.
