With cooler weather hitting most of the country and the official first day of fall yesterday, we thought it would be a great time to share a few fireplace safety tips (and host a Twitter party)!
Thank you to all the moms (and a few dads) out there who joined us yesterday for our #FireplaceMomTalk party – we had a blast! We had tons of people RSVP, gave away five Amazon $25 gift cards to go towards fall home safety prep, and shared lots of great information. If you missed the fun, don’t worry because you are in luck! We want to share a few of the tips we learned:
- Talk to Your Kids: First step is to have a conversation about fireplace safety with your kids to let them know they should never touch the glass panel on the fireplace. Maybe tie it into a bedtime story or talk while settling down for family time around the fireplace.
- Be Aware: Educate other family members and friends that the glass and surrounding metal on a gas fireplace, stove, and insert gets very hot and to make sure kids stay away from it.
- Wait for Cool Down: Wait for the fireplace and glass panel to cool down before allowing anyone to get near it. Cool down can take a long time – an hour or more. Always consider the glass as potentially hot.
- Keep it Clear: Keep clothing, furniture, draperies, and other combustibles away because these gas glass-fronted heating appliances reach high temperatures while in operation and during cool down.
- Supervise: Injury can happen in an instant, especially with kids and pets, so it is important for parents, family, and friends to help monitor and supervise.
- Get a Barrier: Supervision is important, but is no substitute for a physical barrier to reduce the risk of serious burns by preventing direct contact with the glass front. Parents should contact their hearth specialty retailer, like Heatilator, for advice on the types of safety devices that may be available for your product.
- Install a Switch Lock: To prevent children from turning on the appliance, homeowners can install a switch lock. A simple lock could make all the difference.
- Keep Remote Control: If your fireplace is one that operates with a remote control, but sure to keep it out of the reach of little ones. It is important to make sure they understand your gas-burning fireplace is not a toy.
- Do Your Homework: It may sound simple, but always read the owner’s manual, follow instructions, and keep it handy for future questions. Your local fireplace retailer might also be a good resource to help better understand your appliance.
- Learn About New Safety Standard: As of January 1, 2015, all newly manufactured glass-fronted, gas fireplaces and stoves will include an installed protective barrier if their glass surface temperature exceeds 172 degrees Fahrenheit to protect from serious burns. This new safety standard requires that the barrier must be in place when the product is installed.
We especially want to thank our sponsors and fireplace experts – the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association and Heatilator – for answering all of our questions and reminding parents about tips to keep their kiddos safe and sound this winter. Feel free to reach out to HPBA and HTL directly with any further questions.
