National Fire Prevention Week October 8-14

National Fire Prevention Week is an annual campaign to not only prevent fires, but also to prevent the loss of life. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were 365,500 home fires in 2015. These fires caused over 2,600 deaths and 11,000 injuries. Not all of these fires could have been prevented, but planning for a fire can save lives. Join Black Moose Chimney & Stove, along with NFPA and Sparky the Fire Dog to prevent fire loss this week.

Fire Prevention

It is not possible to prevent all fires, but it is possible to lower the risk. You can prevent fires by practicing good fire safety habits and teaching fire safety to your children and guests. Most house fires happen overnight, so you can lower the risk of fire by only using the clothes dryer, oven, and fireplace during waking hours. A fireplace should never be left unattended, but during busy holidays homeowners often run laundry through the night, and cook holiday meals overnight. This is a dangerous practice.

If your chimney hasn’t been cleaned or inspected in the last 12 months, you can lower your risk of chimney fire by scheduling this maintenance before burn season. Scheduling a chimney sweep will clean away flammable debris and creosote that also obstructs airflow and drops efficiency in the chimney. A CSIA inspection will identify hazards before a fire can occur!

Safe Winter Fires

The most proactive thing you can do to prevent a chimney fire in your home is to manage it. If your chimney and fireplace is clean and safe, then you are ready to light your first fire of the season. When you do, it’s important to remember safety first.

• Burn properly seasoned wood in your stove, insert, or fireplace. Other items can burn incompletely, lower efficiency, and result in fire.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms in your home, and check the batteries monthly.
• Make a fire escape plan with your family that includes two ways out of every room.
• If you experience a chimney fire or house fire that may affect your chimney, have your chimney system assessed for damage before use.

Fire won’t always be prevented, but it’s our goal at Black Moose Chimney & Stove, to keep our customers safe and warm through awareness and services that put safety first. You can ask a Black Moose chimney sweep about our safest products, and our preventative services today by calling 603.525.7905 or stopping by. Check out the large selection of resources provided by the NFPA.