PHOTOS AND TIPS: Seasonal safety

Facts and safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association Public Education Division

Jill Pickett

Bobby Huffman, H&H Chimney Sweep, pushes a brush into a flue after cleaning out the smoke chamber of his fireplace. The insert, a wood stove designed to fit inside a fireplace, is seen pulled out at an angle so the chimney can be swept. Creosote develops in stages with a thin coating of the final stage, called glaze, increasing the chance of a flue fire, Huffman said. He recommended burning a hotter fire — between 600 to 900 degrees — or until you see only vapors coming out of the chimney for 30 minutes to one hour a day to dry out the glaze.

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Jill pickett

Huffman sets up his equipment, including a hose for a soot sweeper to collect any dust stirred up. Open fireplaces and inserts not directly connected to the chimney liner are swept from the inside, but the use of a soot sweeper and drop cloths protect a client’s home during the cleaning.

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Huffman inspects his chimney after sweeping it. If a flue fire occurs, it can reach such high temperatures that enough heat will be transferred by the masonry of the chimney to surrounding structural elements of the home that they will combust, Huffman explained.

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Heating

Tips

• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, such as the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a 3-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and space heaters.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• The wood for a fireplace or wood stove should be dry, seasoned wood.

Facts

• Half of home heating fires are reported during the months of December, January and February.
• Not cleaning your chimney is the leading cause of chimney fires from built up creosote.

Decorations

Tips

• Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other flammable objects.
• Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
• Replace worn or broken light strands or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini light sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of LED strands to connect.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
• Blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

Facts

• Almost half of all home decoration fires are started by candles.
• Half of holiday decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source.

Christmas trees

Tips

• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.
• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 2 inches from the base of the trunk.
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
• Add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.
• Never use lit candles to decorate a tree.
• Get rid of the tree after Christmas or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home.

Facts

• One of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems.
• Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are likely to be serious.
• A heat source too close to the tree causes roughly one in every six of the fires.