The Top 5 Fireplace Safety Tips For Your Home This Holiday
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Despite the tumult of this pandemic-ridden year, people are getting as festive as ever. We have seen decorations go up earlier as people reach out for moments of joy amidst hard times.
The fireplace is the star of the show in any room, but especially when we are talking themed decor. It’s delightful to see everyone’s creativity unleashed for their holiday mantel makeovers. We wanted to remind fireplace owners of the importance of safety when it comes to decorating. Read on for 5 of our best tips.
Keep Decorations Above the Mantel
Don’t hang anything over the opening, even on a fireplace with a screen or glass. This includes stockings, plastic greenery, and signage. We know it’s tempting – you may have been inspired by something you saw on Pinterest! But many of the mantels that feature this kind of decor are for non-working fireplaces. Lucky you aren’t missing out here, you have a mesmerizing flame that will keep everyone warm and captivated. Best to hang those stockings a wee bit higher. Safety first.
Refer to Your Manual
Consult your installation manual for clearances. If you purchased your fireplace from us our product pages feature a link to the respective installation manual. If not, head to the manufacturer websites who should have all the information you need.
Trees and Fires Don’t Mix
By now we should be familiar with distancing. Your Christmas tree should be at least three feet away from your fireplace. Plastic or living, we don’t want that thing to ignite! That’s a sure-fire way to ruin Christmas. If you have cheeky young ones or pets with a knack for knocking things, you might want to add a foot or two of distance.
Firewood Only
Don’t throw anything other than fire wood in your wood-burning fireplace. This is a common mistake people make. This can do serious damage through releasing toxic fumes, risking a fire and damaging a chimney. Wrapping paper and cardboard boxes should not be burnt. Pieces could fly out and cause damage. Recycle those materials instead.
Yearly Checkups
General fireplace maintenance to check that everything is in working order is an essential part of fireplace safety. Click here for a quick guide on yearly fireplace maintenance.
Need a Fireplace?
If you’re still hesitating on getting an existing fireplace replaced or thinking of installing a new unit, get in touch with us now. We naturally get extremely busy this time of year. There is still time to put the pieces together for a perfect christmas filled with nostalgic joys. Be quick though, time is ticking and we are even busier than usual.
This time of year signifies positivity to so many, whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or something else. Whatever you celebrate, we hope this time can bring joy and rest. To the decorators out there, go nuts! But be safe. And if you have a fireplace from VGF that you’ve decorated, we would love to share a pic on our social channels. Email your photo to marketing@vangasfireplaces.com.
Happy decorating!
