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Fireplace safety for the holidays

For a happy holiday, take these steps to prioritize safety. (copyright Steve Herder/Shutterstock and Heatilator)

Fireplace safety for the holidays

(StatePoint) Gathering around the hearth this holiday season? While you may be taking time off from work and school to celebrate, don’t take a vacation from practicing basic safety guidelines. Stay safe with the following tips.

Safety devices
Before using your fireplace or lighting candles, check all of your home’s life-saving safety devices, including carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms, for functionality and to ensure batteries are still working. You should do this periodically, but especially around a time of year with additional fire risks.

Fireplaces
A cozy, charming fire is the perfect place to gather during the holidays. Heatilator, a leader in fireplace safety and the number one fireplace brand used by homebuilders, offers these tips:
• Many holiday items and materials are combustible, so place all gifts, trees, and holiday décor a safe distance from the fireplace.
• Conduct annual maintenance on your fireplace, chimney and associated elements.
• Outfit your gas fireplace with a safety screens to prevent burns.
• Always monitor children and pets near a lit fireplace or one that was recently turned off. While safety screens are meant to protect against contact with hot glass, remember that the metal can also heat up, and your heating equipment, fireplaces, stoves, inserts and their surrounding material, will remain hot for some time after use.
• For more fireplace safety tips, information about safety screens, including retrofit screens for your gas fireplace, and help finding your local dealer for annual maintenance, visit Heatilator.com.

Candles
Candles add warmth and splendor to holiday decor, but they come with certain risks. Place these burning beauties in safe locations away from fabrics, trees and other flammable objects. Only burn candles in occupied rooms. If you have children or pets, candle warmers make for a safer alternative that can offer you peace of mind.

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