Your fireplace is beautiful and comforting, but is it also a ticking time bomb? If not properly serviced and maintained, your fireplace could pose many serious risks to your home and health. Your fireplace needs regular attention, just like your car or your HVAC system.
Make sure you take all proper precautions to enjoy such a beautiful piece of architecture without any major problems. Don’t become a victim of the following chimney oversights and issues.
Fire Danger
Of course you can’t have a fireplace without a fire, but the flames in your fireplace should never pose a threat to your residence, family, or pets. Take these steps to ensure the flames stay safely inside your fireplace, where they belong:
- Never leave your fireplace unattended
- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the fireplace at all times
- Always keep glass doors or screens over the fireplace to prevent sparks from escaping
Irregular Maintenance
It’s easy to overlook the importance of regular fireplace maintenance, but the consequences of neglecting fireplace maintenance can be severe. Since hot gases need to travel up and out of your fireplace system, any gaps or cracks allow hot gases to leak into the home. Just like seeing the dentist twice a year can prevent cavities and tooth loss, simple preventative fireplace maintenance can stop leaks and keep your family safe.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a very dangerous gas. Since it is colorless and odorless, it’s all too easy to become ill from carbon monoxide poisoning without even realizing what’s happening. Certain steps must be taken to prevent carbon monoxide from building up in your home. Most importantly, have a professional fireplace technician complete a safety evaluation of your fireplace every year. This inspection will find potential leaks and test the overall function of your fireplace system.
Four Day Fireplace, Puget Sound’s premier fireplace store, also offers fireplace cleaning and maintenance for your convenience. Call (206) 880-7403 today to get professional support from Four Day Fireplace and make sure that your own fireplace isn’t a ticking time bomb.
