It’s that time of year again! Families come together for parties and extended visits. They gather around the fireplace to share drinks and stories, enjoying the warm ambiance of the fire. If you are hosting your family this holiday season, remember that a good host provides warmth, and safety, to the whole family.
Keep your family safe and warm with a chimney inspection!
If your family will be gathering around the fireplace this holiday season, keeping them warm and safe begins with having your chimney swept and inspected. First and foremost, a chimney inspection ensures that your chimney is clear of dangerous creosote, animal nests, debris and damage. These are things that could cause a chimney fire. In addition, cause carbon monoxide to build up into your home. In short, a chimney sweeping makes sure that your chimney isn’t putting your family in danger.
Secondly, your chimney sweeping and inspection ensures that you will be able to keep your family warm this holiday season! You don’t want to have your family gathered around the fireplace only to find that it won’t ignite, or to have smoke come billowing back into the house because something is amiss with the chimney.
In short, your annual chimney inspection helps to guarantee this: You won’t gather your family around the fireplace only to find that the fireplace can’t be used because it’s damaged or malfunctioning.
Practice fireplace safety with your family!
Another thing to keep in mind as your family gathers around the fireplace this holiday season is fireplace safety! Make sure you never burn anything in the fireplace that wasn’t intended as fuel. This includes wrapping paper or cardboard. That can cause dangerous flare ups that can ignite your chimney. Also, it can force noxious fumes back into your home.
Also, if children will be visiting your home, talk to them about being safe around the fireplace. They should stay off the hearth. Plus, they should be aware that glass fireplace doors, or the sides and tops of heating stoves, can be incredibly hot to the touch.
Are going to be hosting family with very small children or pets? You may want to consider installing a safety gate around your hearth to prevent burn accidents.
Finally, make sure that your home is outfitted with working smoke detectors. Check smoke detectors before guests arrive. You should have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home, and directly outside all sleeping areas. This is important to keep in mind if you will have guests sleeping in rooms or parts of your home that don’t typically serve as bedrooms!
Call Total Chimney Care to schedule an appointment today!
Make sure your hearth is safe and ready for your family this holiday season. Call Total Chimney Care to schedule an appointment today! We can sweep and inspect your chimney. And, as always, make sure it’s ready to keep your family warm this holiday season. We will also advise you on fireplace safety for the holidays!