Whether you have a fire in your fireplace a few times a year, or heat for six months of the year with a wood stove, it’s vitally important to be safety conscious.
#1) Have your chimney cleaned once a year, creosote buildup causes chimney fires, and chimney fires are dangerous.
#2) Be sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working correctly.
#3) Maintain proper clearances around wood stoves, and ensure there are not combustibles (like kindling or a cotton rug) directly in front of a fireplace.
#3) Use a fireplace screen to prevent embers from flying out of a fireplace.
#4) When using a woodstove, have good quality fireplace tools and a welding glove on hand, if the door is solid, open it slowly in case a log has shifted against the door. Having a flaming 12″ log rolling out onto the hearth is not a fun experience.
#5) Have a fire extinguisher that’s in good working order somewhere convenient in the house.