On a cold winter day or night, nothing is more romanticised than staying warm and enjoying the experience of a wood-burning fireplace or stove. Log fires are a central attraction in homes, and there is no better place to bring your family together.
If you are considering buying or already using a wood burner in one format or another, you should not overlook log fire safety. You should follow good log fire safety practices to ensure you keep yourself, family members, and visitors safe.
Installation & Preparation
Woodfire installation should be carried out by a professional. This will not only add value to your home, but it will save you time and money to get this done right the first time.
A professional installer will ensure building, health, and log fire safety regulations are adhered to. With preparation and installation from an expert, you will lessen the likelihood of fires or smoke coming into your home. The fitter can also ensure adequate ventilation exists to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning is not just a risk associated with gas fires and boilers.
Furthermore, wood-burning stoves can be extremely heavy, so leaving it to the professionals is a great way to avoid injuring yourself. If you are purchasing a stove over a fireplace, these are used to heat larger areas by producing greater heat levels. To ensure log fire safety, you should talk to your supplier about adding a heat shield to prevent walls, carpets, and curtains from becoming damaged by the heat.
How To Safely Use A Log Fire
You should ensure your stove and chimney are inspected once a year to remove creosote build-up from the flue pipe and chimney. It is best to arrange this in the spring when fire suppliers and fitters are not as busy carrying out new installations.
Log fire safety is best preserved by not going to sleep or leaving your home while the fire is burning. You should never leave small children alone in a room with a log fire either.
You should open the dampener before lighting the fireplace and don’t use highly flammable substances to start your fire, such as kerosene, lighter fluid, or petrol. Instead, use dry seasoned wood, paper, and kindling.
It is best for log fire safety to not stand right in front of your fire because thin clothing materials can catch fire. You should not store your logs too close to your wood burner, and a log store just outside your back door is an excellent choice. It is also essential to install smoke detectors and buy a powder fire extinguisher, just in case.