Childproof Your Fireplace – What You Need To Know
While fireplaces are often safe options to offset high winter heating bills, curious children can get hurt if the right precautions aren’t in place to keep them safe.
While nothing replaces parental supervision of children around a burning fire, there are tools you can use to keep children safe and away from the heat and flames, including:
– Fireplace screens that block off the fireplace from children. Fireplace screens create a perimeter around the fireplace that keep children a safe distance from the heat and flames. If you decide this is the best option for your family, make sure to install a screen that attaches to the hearth or nearby wall. Free standing screens pose the threat of tipping over.
– Child play yards block off an area for your children to play, away from the fire. These play yards are often large, giving children enough room to play without being confined to a small space. Make sure you install the play yard away from the fire to keep your children safe.
– Padding on the brick hearth keeps the sharp edges away from children to reduce scrapes and bruises.
– Carbon monoxide detectors can detect the colorless, odorless and deadly by-product of burning fires. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on each floor of the home. If the alarm sounds, you should leave the home immediately and call a qualified technician to fix the culprit. If anyone in your family experiences symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, call your local fire department immediately.
In addition to the tools listed above, educate your children at a young age the dangers of fire and fireplaces, and, like stated above, supervise them when burning a fire. At MCP Chimney, we can provide tips to keep your children safe around fireplaces, as well as offering other services, like chimney sweep and inspection services that will ensure your chimney is clean and sound.
Contact us today to learn more about how to keep your children safe around fires and about our chimney cleaning services.
