As the weather turns colder, more homeowners look forward to using a wood stove or similar heating equipment to keep their home warm. While the warmth they provide can keep everyone in the house comfortable, they are one of the leading causes of fires during the winter. To keep your family and home safe, follow these safety tips to help you prevent fire damage in Springfield Missouri from your heating equipment.
The Right Installation and Products
Choosing the right wood stove is crucial. Make sure the stove is labeled by an independent testing laboratory to ensure it will work properly. Once the right one is picked out, make sure a qualified professional handles the installation. Only allow qualified pros to handle installations for stoves, chimneys, and chimney connectors inside the home.
Conduct Regular Inspections
Regular inspections allow you to detect issues before they become worse or cause a fire. Homeowners should have a professional inspect their chimney cap yearly and repair or replace if it’s damaged. Proper care during the summer months by fitting it with a cap and wire mesh sides can help keep out debris, rain, and wildlife. The chimney, stove, and vents should also be inspected yearly, preferably just before the heating equipment needs to be used. This should be done by a certified chimney sweep who can inspect these elements at the same time.
Keep Your Heating Equipment Clean
After using the wood stove to heat your home, ensure it’s properly cleaned. Once in a while, use a wire brush to clean the inside of the stove. At the same time, check the chimney for any creosote that may be building up. Creosote is the residue that sticks to the inner walls of your chimney or stove pipes. It can appear crusty or flaky, drippy and sticky like tar, or shiny and hardened to the surface. But whatever its appearance, creosote is highly combustible.This needs to be cleaned once it’s detected. If it builds up too much, it could lead to a chimney fire. The creosote should be cleaned out at least once per year but should be done more often if it’s needed.
Use the Right Materials in Your Heating Equipment
Always use kindling to get the fire started. Flammable liquids like gasoline can be dangerous and can lead to a fire inside the home. For wood stoves, make sure the wood used is seasoned. For pellet stoves, only use seasoned wood pellets. Never burn paper, cardboard, or other materials in your wood stove.
Follow Safe Practices During Use
When your wood stove is in use, make sure there is a mesh metal screen or glass door to prevent embers from coming out. Always let the ashes cool completely, usually for at least several hours, before removing them. All ashes should be placed in a covered metal container at least 10 feet away from any buildings. Keep pets and children away from the stove, space heater, or any other heating equipment.
Add Safety Features and Upgrade Your Heating Equipment
With older heating equipment, replacement with a newer model might be a good idea. Newer models have more current safety features to help prevent fires. Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in the room with the heating equipment as well as outside each sleeping area.
Prevention can go a long way toward keeping your home safe from potential fire damage. However, if you do ever experience fire damage in your home, call the fire restoration professionals at PuroClean Certified Restoration in Springfield, Missouri, to do the job right.