Stay Safe Over the Holidays

With the busy-ness of the holidays, we sometimes forget that there can be holiday disasters as well. Because this is such a happysafety first time of year, it’s important to take special care to keep your home and family safe. If you own a fireplace, there are some safety tips that you can follow that will have your family and friends enjoying the fun and togetherness of the holidays with no worries. Of course, one of the most important things that you can do is make sure that your chimney and fireplace have been inspected and cleaned before the holiday season. If you haven’t had that done, give Chimney Care Co. a call and see if we can fit you into our holiday schedule. But there are other things that you can do to make sure that you have a safe, happy holiday as well.

Make Sure You Have Wood That’s Been Properly Cured

One of the things that you can do to make that your wood-burning experience goes well is to make sure that the wood you’re burning has been properly cured. When you cut a tree for firewood, a lot of moisture remains in the wood and it remains there for many months. That’s why it’s so important to use wood that’s been cut for at least six months, and even longer is better. Once you’ve cut your wood, you’ll want to split it and stack it, allowing air to circulate between the wood so it will dry out. If you cut your own wood, it’s easy to know how long your wood has been cured, but if you buy your wood, it’s not as clear. There are some things that you can do to make sure that your wood has been properly cured. First, check out the color of the wood. The lighter and grayer the wood, the longer it has cured. More cured wood will have less of a woody smell, and it will be lighter weight. There may also be cracks in the wood, especially around the edges, and when you clap two pieces together, it will ring rather than sound dull and thunky. As you burn wood, any remaining moisture will be released in the form of smoke. If your wood has been properly cured, it means that you’ll have less creosote buildup in your chimney, which means less chance of a chimney fire. Less smoke also means that your room will be less smoky, and that means a more enjoyable burning experience. A smoke-filled room can lead to irritated eyes and a hacking cough, as well as a scratchy throat.

Scope Out Your Room

Another thing you’ll want to do is scope out the layout of your room. Make sure that any pillows, cushions, or other furniture aren’t too close to the fireplace. The same is true for toys, magazines, books, or curtains. If any of these are too close to the fireplace, they might catch a random spark or ember and start on fire. At Christmas time, you’ll want to be especially careful of where you place your tree and gifts. A real tree can get dry, even if you water it faithfully every day, and a dry tree is a flammable tree. Presents wrapped in cardboard boxes and wrapping paper are flammable as well. Make sure your Christmas tree is far enough away from your fireplace to avoid it catching a spark and starting on fire. It’s also important to have a working fire extinguisher close to the fireplace, just in case a fire starts.

Make Sure Equipment is in Working Order

Speaking of fire extinguishers, just one by the fireplace isn’t enough. You should have working fire extinguishers by the fireplace, in the kitchen, and on each floor of the house as well as in the shop and laundry room. But there’s other equipment that should be in working order as well. You should also have working smoke detectors outside of each bedroom and on each floor of the home, as well as in the kitchen and garage. Another tool is a carbon monoxide detector. You should have one of these on each floor of the house as well, but avoid putting these in humid areas or too close to a fuel-burning appliance. Make sure to test the batteries at least once a month, and change them every six months.

Keeping Your Home Safe While You’re Away

If you’re traveling during the holidays, or just going to lots of parties at night, there are some safety tips to follow as well. If you love to have your lights on, put them on a timer so that they aren’t on all night. Never leave a candle burning when you’re not around to supervise. If you’re away frequently, you might want to invest in a home security system. Another thing many people might not consider if traveling for the holidays is to avoid the temptation to post a lot about your trip on social media until you get back. If no one knows you’re gone, they won’t be tempted to try to break in and take some of your valued possessions.

Have a Happy Holiday!

All of us at Chimney Care Co. are proud and happy to have spent 2019 taking care of all our friends and neighbors in the greater Cincinnati area. We want to make sure that you all stay safe and happy through this holiday season, so be sure to follow these safety tips. Merry Christmas!

By Jeff Keefer | Tagged with: Tags: , | Leave a Comment


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