Not So Delightful: Common Fireplace Blunders Made By Homeowners
When the snow starts to fall and the weather outside truly does turn into something frightful, you may think that cleaning up that old fireplace and building a cozy fire is one delightful idea. However, if you are not careful, that old fireplace can be a major safety threat to your home and everyone in it. Here are two not so delightful blunders homeowners tend to make when it comes to using an old fireplace in their home.
Do-It-Yourself Chimney Sweeping
Before you start hauling in wood and grab the matches, it is a good idea to head up on the roof and make sure the chimney is not blocked or dirty. There can be soot, dirt, and debris way down in the chimney that you may not be able to see when you take a look. Many homeowners make the mistake of trying to sweep their chimney with a broom or other household tools, but this is never really a good idea. If you accidentally damage the liner of you chimney during the sweep, it can leave your home prone to fire and smoke damage. It is a much better idea to trust professional chimney sweepers, like those at http://www.earlytimeshomesolutions.com, who have all of the right tools to tackle the job.
Forgetting to Check the Carbon Monoxide Detector
Unlike the smoke detector, that old carbon monoxide detector you have in place can easily get disregarded when it comes time to change batteries. This is especially true if you rarely use your fireplace or have a reason to be concerned. One of the biggest mistakes you can make before building a warm and toasty fire is to not check the battery on this device to make sure it is set and ready to go if something goes wrong. This is the one thing that will alert you if something in the fireplace is not working as it should and there is dangerous carbon monoxide leaking into the air.
Homes have been heated with fire for a lot longer than any other modern heat source has been in place. However, anytime you bring fire into the house for heating purposes, there is a reason for a little extra caution to stay safe. Make sure you keep these two common blunders in mind before you aim for a delightful fire and end up making a mistake that causes damage to your home.