Fire Prevention: Time To Think About Fireplaces And Chimneys Now

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Cold weather brings new fire risks. Before you throw the first log of the season in the fireplace, the Golden's Bridge Fire Department is offering a few tips to make certain a cozy and safe autumn and winter are in the forecast.

From the Golden's Bridge Fire Department

Before you settle in with a cup of hot cocoa and a good mystery novel, and the warmth of a glowing fireplace, don’t set a match to your firebox this winter season until it is inspected and cleaned by a qualified chimney sweep. That should be at the top of your checklist for making your fireplace fire-safe, according to Fire Chief Dennis Delborgo of the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department, who recommends that homeowners take this action prior to the season’s first burn in their fireplaces.

Depending on how often you use your fireplace, it is prudent to have it cleaned on a schedule as recommended by your chimney sweep, and to have it inspected annually, says the Golden’s Bridge fire chief.

"With winter seemingly still far off, this is one of those things that homeowners often put on the backburner. But the chilly nights of fall and cold days of winter will be here soon enough. By lighting a fireplace before having it cleaned and inspected, families are putting themselves and their property at risk for chimney fires – so now is the time for preventive maintenance," said Fire Chief Delborgo.

"People go right into the season using their fireplace and think it’s safe, but they don’t realize their chimney may have last winter’s build-up of creosote – the tar-like, flaky residue that comes from burning wood and is one of the leading causes of chimney fires," explained the Golden’s Bridge fire chief, who said that although you’re igniting a fire in a controlled structure, it’s still inside your home.

Appropriate care, maintenance, preparation, awareness and a multi-point safety checklist – along with common sense and diligence – will go a long way toward safeguarding life and property, according to Fire Chief Delborgo, who said the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department responds to chimney fires every fall and winter season.

The Golden’s Bridge fire chief recommended that homeowners create a fire-safety checklist with tips found on the websites of organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).

Property owners can contact the Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection to confirm that their contractor is licensed, and whether the contractor has a history of consumer complaints – which is particularly important when making repairs to your chimney, according to the fire chief. More information can be found here.

In addition to having your fireplace inspected and cleaned at least once annually (multiple times, depending on use), Fire Chief Delborgo says some key fire safety and prevention tips include:

• Replace batteries and check expiration dates of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Incomplete combustion – which can result from using wet, unseasoned wood – and poor venting of a fireplace can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Keep a fully charged fire extinguisher on hand and check it annually – but in the event of a home fire, always get everyone out of the house and call 9-1-1.
• Always keep children and pets away from the fireplace, never leave an active fire unattended, and keep anything flammable at least three feet away, preferably more.
• Never use a liquid fire starter to light the wood.
• Have a sturdy screen on your fireplace to minimize the possibility of embers and sparks from jumping out, and always use fireplace tools and wear non-flammable gloves when stoking the fire and adding logs.
• Never use water to extinguish a fire in the firebox, and wait until ash and embers are cold before cleaning the hearth – using a brush and shovel, and placing debris in a metal container stored outdoors at least 10 feet from the house and other structures.