We Have Fire & Fireplace Safety Tips to Keep Your Home & Family in Centereach Safer

Fires have the power to make your life warmer, brighter, and cozier, but they can also cause a lot of harm when not handled responsibily. We’ve got tips to keep your fireplace in good condition and your home and family safer.

Invest in annual chimney inspections

Your bricks and mortar are known for being strong and reliable, but only when regularly maintained. Over time, small damages and buildup can occur, weakening the structure significantly. Annual inspections, however, allow sweeps to spot these issues well before they become bigger problems.

What are some examples of issues we might come across during an inspection?

  • Weakened mortar joints that need to be repaired with tuckpointing.
  • Cracked, old, or decaying chimney liners that need to be replaced.
  • Buildup in the flue that’s hindering airflow.
  • Poorly installed components that affect performance.

In the end, buildup and decay can lead to home damage, inefficiency, gas leaks, and even potential chimney or house fires. Get our techs out for your annual inspection now to avoid further issues.

Brick chimney on tiled roof - Dunrite Chimney

Install Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Your Home

Most people who lose their lives in fires do so from inhaling toxic smoke and fumes – not from getting burned. It’s because of this that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are considered one of the best tools for keeping homes – and the people in them – safer and better protected year after year.

Your detectors should be installed on every level of the home, outside of all sleeping areas, and ideally connected, so if one goes off, they all go off. You’ll also want to replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and be sure to test the devices and regularly check the batteries too.

Smoke alarm icon - Dunrite Chimney

Establish & Practice Home Exit Drills

Establish exit points (and back-up exit points) from each room of the home, and come up with a meeting spot for everyone to gather should a fire occur. Then, practice your fire escape plan, so family members can run through it without a second thought. Having a route mapped out ahead of time can save valuable seconds and minutes, making all the difference in getting everyone out of the home safely.

And remember – should a fire occur, keep yourself low to the ground (beneath the smoke), never use an elevator, and test any doors for heat before opening them.

Use Your Fireplace Appropriately

A fireplace can add a lot of warmth and comfort to your home, but it needs to be used safely and appropriately in order to do this. Keep these safety tips in mind as you operate yours…

  • Never leave a fire unattended. If you’re going to bed for the night, make sure all flames are out and fully extinguished, and never leave the room to let a fire die out on its own either.
  • Properly dispose of your fireplace ash. If you have ash building up in your wood-burning system, you’ll want to scoop some of it out. Make sure you’re putting it in a metal bucket, securing it with a lid, then setting it outside of your home (on a non-flammable surface) for a few days before officially tossing it out.
  • Use only seasoned firewood. Burning trash, wet wood, cardboard, and the like will result in lots of smoke, excessive creosote deposits, and could increase your chances of experiencing a chimney fire. We’ve got more info on safe burning practices here.
  • Keep flammable materials a safe distance away. Any decor, furniture, rugs, curtains, and holiday decorations should be kept a safe distance from the fireplace when it is lit.
  • Educate children on fireplace safety. Make sure your kids know to stay away from the fireplace, and educate them on how to exit the home safely if a fire ever should occur down the line.
  • Always invest in professional care. When it comes to inspections, repairs, installation work, and any other chimney or fireplace services, always trust a certified and experienced professional to get the job done right.

Invest in Repairs & Sweeping Services as Necessary

Did an inspection reveal the need for chimney repairs or a thorough sweeping? Don’t put off the care you need. The longer chimney-related issues go unaddressed, the worse they’ll become, and before you know it, what could have been a relatively easy (and inexpensive) fix is now a major problem.

A great example of this is the chimney cap. An afternoon spent installing an affordable cap is always going to be better on your finances and stress levels than investing in a lengthy rebuild because your system was exposed to water and debris.

Still Have Questions? Give Us a Call

So what did we miss? If you have any further questions about operating your fireplace and chimney as safely as possible, we’d love to hear them. Our qualified crew is ready to help you out every step of the way!

Call 631-738-0005 or request your next appointment online now.

Another resource in our library is some information on best burn practices…check it out.