This Year's Damage Control Report on the Use of the Traditional Fireplaces

By Jessica Brylan

Every year around this time, I have to write an article about the damages caused by fireplaces. This year is no different. New occurrences have arisen and I feel that I can help save a few families and their homes if I bring them to your attention.

In the past years, I have written about people falling into their fireplaces and burning themselves as well as falling asleep while the fireplaces were still burning and a spark ignited in the home. I've heard of sparks igniting couches and rugs as well as logs rolling out of the fireplace and across the floor while still burning. These are certainly situations to be aware of this year while you are trying to enjoy your traditional fireplace.

But, there are more current reasons to make sure you maintain fireplace safety during the holiday season and over the winter months. There are always current reasons why you should be weary of your traditional fireplace and how you use it. You wouldn't want to wind up homeless like the family in the first story I have to tell.

A Vancouver, Oregon family of two adults and two children find themselves homeless this year as over $200,000 worth of damage was done to their home. A stack of newspapers left too close to the fireplace caught on fire when a spark ignited them. The name of the family was not mentioned in the Oregonian where I picked up the story, but the American Red Cross was reported as assisting them. The officer who arrived on the scene urges everyone to keep at least a three foot distance between the fireplace and anything that could possibly catch on fire.

The American Red Cross got further attention this year as another fireplace fire displaced multiple families in a Plano, Texas apartment building fire. The residents were rushed out of the building as officials went through and found the cause of the fire to be determined as obstructions in the chimney. Fire and water damaged will keep residents out of many of the units in the apartment building, but there is still enough space to house everyone once officials clear the building for safe occupancy. Firefighting officials actually had two comments to make.

First of all, make sure you have your chimney inspected before you start a fire. You might need to have it cleaned so that you aren't the next fire victim this year. Also, use starter sticks and logs to help ignite natural wood. This is much safer than some of the attempts I've heard.

If you'd like to know, the worst case I ever heard was when someone used charcoal to help light the fire in his fireplace. Obviously, he had a fun time cleaning his home when all was said and done. Needless to say, fireplace safety is really about common sense. Don't burn foreign objects in your fireplace. Keep items that can easily burn away from your fireplace. And never leave it unattended.

Jessica Brylan has been a student of construction all her life, under her father who retired in 2004. Her passion turned to interior design and strangely evolved into becoming a fireplace expert. She has written such great reports as DIY Outdoor Fireplaces, Fireplace Ideas Report, and DIY Fireplace. Read further details about the Ventless Gel Fireplace reports at The Ventless Gel Fireplace Reports and sign up for the newsletter so you can be updated whenever Jessica Brylan puts out a new one.

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