There is nothing better than relaxing in front of a fire on a wintery day with your loved ones. Watching a film, eating your favourite snacks and cuddling up. As beautiful and appealing as your fireplace may appear, it is vital to remember how dangerous they can be. Our top tips will help keep you, your family and friends safe around open fires, all year round, so you can enjoy the ambience in the safest way possible.
Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Ensure that you will be alerted if your fire gets out of control with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It is recommended that you test them monthly and change your batteries every year.
Guard your fireplace
Having a guard around your open fire is a great way to stop pets and little ones from getting too close. There are so many options to choose from, so you can match your interior décor.
Use helpful tools
Accessories such as heat resistant gloves and lighters with long handles will help keep your body away from the ignition and significantly reduce the risk of being burnt.
Safe storage
Store your briquettes, kindling and firelighters in a safe place away from children or pets. If these are ingested or played with, the consequences could be dire. Also, keep your flammable materials away from the open fire so that stray sparks don’t accidentally ignite the material.
Decorate safely
Decorating your fireplace or mantle can look welcoming and homely. However, these can easily melt or catch fire. Ensure that your decorations are fireproof and don’t hang too close to the open fire. Also, keep electrical devices away from the heat as this can damage their inner workings.
Dress appropriately
Keep loose-fitting materials away from your open fire, such as dressing gowns, scarves and long skirts. As well as this, ensure children’s fancy dress costumes are kept well away from an open fire, since they are classed as toys instead of clothing so do not follow the same strict regulations as clothing, meaning they are easily flammable.
Make sure your QBriquettes® and kindling are dry
Damp or green wood will cause a lot of smoke and will also contribute to soot build-up. Store your QBriquettes® in a dry place, away from any moisture exposure to reduce the amount of smoke emitted and to keep your flue clean.
End it right
Ensure that you extinguish your open fire completely before leaving the house or going to bed. Although log burners and stoves are designed to remain warm, leaving an open fire unattended is very dangerous. Make sure you have fully extinguished your fire and doused or removed any ashes. It is recommended that levels of ash at the base of your fireplace should be kept to one inch or less since a thicker layer will produce more smoke by restricting air supply to the briquettes.
Educate yourself and your loved ones on fire safety
Lastly, it is vital that you know the dangers of fire and how to practice fire safety. There are many guides online, alongside this blog post that will help you.