{"id":445,"date":"2018-12-30T06:55:01","date_gmt":"2018-12-30T12:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/?p=445"},"modified":"2020-01-21T15:43:25","modified_gmt":"2020-01-21T21:43:25","slug":"fireplace-safety-tips-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/fireplace-safety-tips-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Fireplace Safety Tips For New Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_457\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-457\" style=\"width: 412px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-457\" src=\"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/iStock-909044958-300x182.jpg\" alt=\"Learn how to enjoy your fireplace safely with our great tips! \" width=\"412\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/iStock-909044958-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/iStock-909044958-230x140.jpg 230w, https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/iStock-909044958-350x212.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/iStock-909044958-480x291.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/iStock-909044958.jpg 758w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 412px) 100vw, 412px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-457\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><center><em>Everyone loves a warm blaze in the fireplace on a cold night. Learn how to enjoy your fireplace safely with our great tips! <\/em><\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep Safe Around The Fire This New Years Eve<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s nothing quite as cozy and warming as a crackling log fire. But while fireplaces are a great way to keep your home warm while <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/resources\/natural-gas-savings-tips\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">saving on natural gas heating bills<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you should make sure to treat them with respect. Make sure you and your family stay safe this New Year by following our safety tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Know The Risks<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First of all, everyone in your home should be fully aware that the fireplace is not a toy, and should know what the risks are. Be certain that no kids are going to try and pull logs from the fire, or play around with embers, as it can be extremely easy to spread flames into the home. Every year <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/reconstruction380.com\/most-common-causes-house-fires\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an estimated 374,000 American homes burn down<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with fireplaces a contributing a significant number to this statistic.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Controlling The Fire<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the National Fire Protection Association, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fireplaces most often cause house fires when they\u2019re left unattended<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Sparks and embers can fly from logs as they burn, and even the smallest fragment can easily start a blaze if it lands on something flammable. The best way to prevent this is to purchase a fireplace guard or <a href=\"https:\/\/oldetownsweep.com\/types-of-fireplace-screens\/\">fireplace screen<\/a>, and make certain that it\u2019s always in position whenever the fire is to be left unattended.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep Fuel Away<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the US Fire Administration, about 1 in 3 fires that spread from the fireplace are due to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usfa.fema.gov\/prevention\/outreach\/heating.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">combustible objects being stored too close to the fire<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Be sure not to leave anything even remotely flammable within reach of the fireplace. Fire is extremely dangerous, especially when combined with natural gas &#8211; a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/home-suffers-natural-gas-leak-explosion-canton-ga\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Georgia home exploded recently<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to a natural gas leak.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep The Chimney Clean<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wood smoke leaves a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/burnwise\/frequent-questions-about-wood-burning-appliances#pollution\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">highly combustible residue called creosote<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the inside of your chimney. If this is allowed to build up it can cause a chimney fire. Prevent build up by only using properly seasoned logs, avoiding overloading the fireplace with too much fuel, and having your chimney regularly inspected and cleaned by a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncsg.org\/tips-when-hiring-a-chimney-sweep-plus-free-e-book-for-homeowners.html\">professionally trained chimney sweep<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t Light Fire Irresponsibly<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should only use <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cooperators.ca\/en\/Answer-Centre\/how-can-i-be-safe-and-prepared\/home\/top-10-tips-for-fireplace-safety.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dry firewood, paper and firelighters to start a fire<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These are controllable and safe to use in the home. Lighter fluid, kerosene, or gasoline are not; they are extremely unsafe to use in your fireplace and can easily fill a room with dangerous fumes. So even if you\u2019re having trouble getting a blaze going, do not use them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guard Against Gas Poisoning<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As wood burns, it gives off carbon monoxide gas. This should be vented harmlessly into the chimney, but if the chimney is blocked or the fireplace isn\u2019t properly maintained, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/welovefireplacesandgrills.com\/stoves\/prevent-carbon-monoxide-co-poisoning\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">carbon monoxide gas can begin to build up in your house instead<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That\u2019s bad &#8211; this gas is undetectable (unlike <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/resources\/natural-gas-safety\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">natural gas, which has a chemical scent added to it)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and can kill if it builds up to a high enough level. To guard against this, install a carbon monoxide alarm in your home. This will provide an alert if it detects dangerous levels of the poison in the air.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take Safety Precautions<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should be perfectly safe this New Year, and there\u2019s no reason to expect a fire to break out from your fireplace as long as you\u2019re careful. However, it always pays to be prepared; <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.strikefirstusa.com\/2016\/05\/five-classes-of-fires-fire-extinguishers-stop-them\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stock at least one A-rated extinguisher in your home<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, close to the fireplace, so that if things <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">do<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> go wrong you can at least get it under control again.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using Natural Gas Heating<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s no substitute for a fireplace when it comes to natural ambiance. However, if all you want is to keep warm, your home\u2019s furnace is the fastest and most efficient way to make every room nice and cozy. Find the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best natural gas deals in Georgia now<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and run your furnace as much as you like this winter.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keep Safe Around The Fire This New Years Eve There\u2019s nothing quite [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mbp_gutenberg_autopost":false},"categories":[153,161,103,210,152,173,1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=445"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":933,"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445\/revisions\/933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.georgiagassavings.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}