Few images capture the spirit of a season as well as a family gathered around a fireplace in winter. Winter is a time when families spend more time together indoors, and there’s no better gathering spot than around a warm fireplace.
Heartwarming scenes around a fireplace are even more enjoyable when safety has been prioritized. While natural fireplaces with roaring flames are notable safety risks, it’s important that individuals with gas fireplaces embrace fire safety as well.
The following are some gas fireplace safety strategies everyone can embrace:
- Avoid DIY installation. Even the most skilled do-it-yourselfers are urged to let the professionals install a new gas fireplace. Gas lines are nothing to mess around with, and professional installation teams have ample experience setting up new gas fireplaces in a home.
- Install a carbon monoxide detector on the same floor as the fireplace. During the gas fireplace installation, ask that a carbon monoxide detector with battery backup is installed on the same floor. The detector alarm will alert individuals if something is amiss, like a gas leak. Periodically inspect the detector to ensure it’s working properly.
- Periodically inspect your safety screen. Glass panels are standard features on many gas fireplaces. Such panels separate the fire within the fireplace from the people and items outside of it. Glass panels can become extremely hot, which is why most gas fireplaces come with safety screens as well. These mesh safety screens can keep curious kids and pets from touching hot glass panels and protect adults. Inspect the safety screens periodically to ensure they’re still intact and up to the job, replacing them if necessary.
- Keep objects a safe distance away from the fireplace. Experts advise keeping objects a minimum of three feet away from the fireplace at all times. Fabrics and other materials that contact the glass pose a fire hazard, so keep the area in front of the fireplace clear.
- Make the fireplace off limits to children and pets. Though safety screens are a vital safety feature that can keep kids and pets safe, it’s still best that kids and pets are kept away from the fireplace at all times. Turn off the fireplace if kids are playing in the room and use safety gates to keep children and pets away when the fireplace is in use.
- Book annual fireplace inspections. Annual inspections of the fireplace can ensure everything is working properly. Professional inspections may detect potentially harmful gas leaks, and annual checkups also can help individuals extend the life of their fireplaces.
- Recognize outdoor gas fireplaces have their own safety protocols. Outdoor fireplaces have become wildly popular in recent years. Homeowners who install outdoor gas fireplaces must recognize these awe-inspiring features require their own unique safety measures, including turning off the gas supply at the end of outdoor entertaining season and protecting the fireplace from the elements when necessary.
Gas fireplace safety strategies can protect residents and also increase the life expectancy of these sought-after features.
