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Don't put your house at risk of a house fire
10th December 2009
Anglia Fireplaces' top tips for safer winter fires
As the clocks are about to change, the evenings drawing in and with a definite chill in the air, some of us are starting to think about lighting our fires and bringing a bit of warmth and cosiness into our sitting rooms. But, according to Anglia Fireplaces, the region’s best known fireplace specialist, there are several things we must do before we light our fires.
“The most obvious,” says Graham Vialls, managing director of Anglia Fireplaces, “is getting your chimney swept by a reputable company. Depending on the amount of fires you have per year, this should ideally be done once every year and usually costs around £50.”
According to the Professional UK Association of Chimney Sweeps, on average 30,000 houses have chimney fires each year and most insurance companies will no longer pay out for claims made due to chimney fires unless the chimney has been swept by a professional chimney sweep and a valid certificate of sweeping issued.
Graham also warns, “If the fire brigade is called out due to a chimney fire and it is proven the chimney has not been maintained, the local council can bill you for the call out, and this has been known to be up to £2,000 per crew.
“Another crucial check if you have a wood burning or multi fuel appliance is to check that all the seals are sound. If the door seals are worn away or not sealing properly, the fire will not burn as efficiently, and could burn uncontrollably.
“If your fire has firebricks they will also need to be checked to ensure that they are not broken away as they protect the outer skin of the firebox and if they have crumbled or worn away this will dramatically reduce the life of the appliance.”
With rising fuel costs, Anglia has seen a significant increase in the number of people opting for wood burning fires to supplement central heating. But Graham says, “It is important to remember if you are burning wood that it is well seasoned hard wood and not wet wood. In the case of hardwoods, especially oak, they must be seasoned for over one full year. The problem with burning unseasoned wood is that you get a high level of creosote and a higher content of tar build up in your chimney, which is not good news, also the heat output will be significantly reduced. Just one fresh-cut cord of oak may contain enough water to fill nearly six, 55 gallon drums.”
“Finally, if you have a gas fire, it’s vital that you have this serviced annually.”
Anglia Fireplaces also recommends a check of all fire alarms in the house. Smoke detectors should be placed at every level in a house.
