Holiday Gas Fireplace Safety
A beautiful, decorated hearth is a Christmas tradition with most families. Here are some things to consider with a gas fireplace, which can ignite nearby combustibles due to the amount of heat they put off.
- Make sure you have a minimum safety area of two feet around your fireplace. Keep items like pillows, blankets, drapes, books and holiday decorations away from this area.
- Always have a safety screen or fire-resistant hearth guard up, to keep children and obstructions at a safe distance.
- When decorating your mantle make sure your decorations are fire-resistant. Always remove stockings and any other items hanging from the mantle when a fire is burning.
- Don’t leave the fireplace on unattended. If you leave your home or go to bed, make sure it’s turned off.
- Install both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.
- Keep a fire extinguisher on hand.
