Recent Fires Prompt Fireplace Safety Advice 12/02/05

Hot coals that apparently escaped the chimney heavily damaged a home on Happy Hunting Trail over Thanksgiving weekend.

Fireplace ashes left on a front porch damaged the exterior of a house on Oak Hall Drive that same weekend.

Public Safety Chief Cecil Parker suspects the rising cost of home heating fuels may lead more people to use fireplaces this season.

He offers these safety suggestions:

•  Have your fireplace inspected annually for defects and creosote buildup by a reputable professional. Creosote buildup can cause your chimney to draft insufficiently and allow the chimney to get dangerously hot.

•  Do not use your fireplace if a problem is identified. Some homeowners believe they can wait for a small crack to worsen and build only a “small” fire. Small cinders could get into the crack and cause a house fire.

•  When disposing of ashes, place them only in a metal container. Do not leave the container in or even near the home. Ashes can remain hot enough to cause a fire for several days. Do not put them in the trash.

•  Use an approved fireplace safety screen. Even with a grate to secure the logs, cinders can pop out onto the floor.

•  Use only dry hardwoods. Soft woods such as pine cause creosote to build up at a much faster rate.

For more information, call (919) 552-7110.

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Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us