Pets and children enjoy the cozy, warmth of a fire as much as the rest of us. Unlike us, they do not understand the dangers that a fireplace can pose. It’s important to protect them from the potential hazards posed by a hearth and fireplace. Follow these five steps to childproof or pet proof your fireplace.
1. Install Glass Doors
In most cases, installing glass doors is the first step in ensuring the safety of your children and pets. Glass doors stop hot embers and sparks from flying out of the hearth and prevent curious hands and paws from reaching into the fire. They also ensure that your little loved one won’t topple into live flames. Even when your fireplace is not in use, they help to protect your child or pet from poking his/her head into the hearth and breathing in harmful substances.
Fireplace inserts and pre-fabricated fireplaces usually already have glass doors. If you have a traditional, open-hearth fireplace you can speak with your local fireplace store or chimney sweep to find glass doors that will fit your fireplace.
2. Put up a screen
While glass doors protect your child or pet from the dangers of live flames, even heat-resistant glass can get up to temperatures that might burn a child or pet’s sensitive skin. The simplest way to prevent the possibility of burns it to put a screen in front of your fireplace.
Screens now come in many designs from simple and modern to ornate and romantic, you can easily find a screen that enhances the look of your fireplace while also ensuring the safety of your furry friend or child. Depending on the design of your top rated fireplace and screen, this accessory for your fireplace might eliminate the need for hearth padding.
3. Use Hearth Padding
Hearth padding is a good investment for families with young children. Infants and children can hurt themselves by falling onto the hard, raised surface of your hearth or by bumping into the rough edges. Hearth padding is fire resistant foam that you can attach to your hearth to prevent those injuries. You can get hearth padding for just the edges or a pad that covers the entire hearth. While it may not be attractive, it is simple to add and ensures the safety of your child. During the seasons when your fireplace is not in use, you can dress up your hearth and cover the hearth pads with a blanket or pillows.
4. Accessories and other flammable objects, source of danger
Flammable objects, the fireplace toolset and ignition materials all pose a risk to children and pets, it is important to keep them out of reach. It is a good rule of thumb that flammable objects, including toys, should be kept at least 2 feet away from your fireplace. Matches, starter chips and other ignition materials should be stored in a secure location where an inquisitive child cannot get ahold of them. The fireplace toolset should be blocked off by your grate or only placed near the fireplace when it is in use. Remember that your fireplace toolset and ignition materials are as much a risk for older children as for infants. Elementary and middle school children have been known to hurt each other by pretending fireplaces pokers are swords and starting fires when they aren’t supervised.
5. Be Proactive & Keep a Watchful Eye
The best way to prevent burns and home fires is by being proactive and supervising your child or pet whenever your fireplace is in use. You should begin talking to your child about the dangers of fire as soon as possible and teach him/her about fireplace safety early on. Whether the fireplace is still burning or just hot, it is best to make it a practice to take your child or pet with you when you leave the room.
Following these five steps will keep your little loved ones safe while you all enjoy the warmth of your fireplace. Remember to also make sure all of your smoke alarms are working, invest in a carbon monoxide detector and have your chimney professionally inspected annually to ensure the safety of your whole household.
Auburn, ALTop Hat Chimney Sweeps 1280 Financial Ct. Auburn, AL 36830 |  | Visit Store Page |
Elk Grove, CACustom Fireside Shops 9097 Elk Grove Blvd. Elk Grove, CA 95624 |  | Visit Store Page |
Sacramento, CACustom Fireside Shops 5455 Auburn Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95841 |  | Visit Store Page |
Durango, CODurango Outdoor Living 140 Rock Point Drive Durango, CO 81301 |  | Visit Store Page |
Durango, COFour Corner Stoves & Spas 3001 Main Avenue Durango, CO 81301 |  | Visit Store Page |
Grand Junction, COStove Depot and Chimney Works 330 North Ave. Grand Junction, CO 81501 |  | Visit Store Page |
New London, CTFamily Hearth and Patio LLC 571 Broad Street New London, CT 06320 |  | Visit Store Page |
Ridgefield, CTYankee Doodle, Inc. 71 Ethan Allen Highway Ridgefield, CT 06877 |  | Visit Store Page |
Dover, DEByler's Stove Shoppe Inc. 1368b Rose Valley School Rd. Dover, DE 19904 |  | Visit Store Page |
Destin, FLDoodlebuggers Service Network 36054 Emerald Coast Parkway Destin, FL 32541 | | |
Bettendorf, IAFireplaces Plus, Inc. 1745 State Street Bettendorf, IA 52722 |  | Visit Store Page |
Post Falls, IDQuality Stoves & Home Furnishings 569 N Syringa St Post Falls, ID 83854 | | |
Rockford, ILAdvanced Chimney Systems, Inc. 3486 Lonergan Drive Rockford, IL 61109 |  | Visit Store Page |
Wauconda, ILGrass Roots Energy, Inc. 28751 N Route 12 Wauconda, IL 60084 |  | Visit Store Page |
Evansville, INFiremaster, Inc. 5300 E Morgan Avenue Evansville, IN 47715 | | |
Jeffersonville, INOlde Towne Chimney & Fireplace Sales 915 Nachand Ln Jeffersonville, IN 47130 |  | Visit Store Page |
Overland Park, KSKansas City Fireplace Center 10470 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66212 |  | Visit Store Page |
Erlanger, KYTateBuilder's Supply, LLC 3511 Dixie Highway Erlanger, KY 41018 |  | Visit Store Page |
Littleton, MAWoodstove, Fireplace and Patio Shop, Inc. 60 White Street Littleton, MA 01460 |  | Visit Store Page |
Seekonk, MAThe Fireplace Showcase 775 Fall River Ave Seekonk, MA 02771 |  | Visit Store Page |
Sudbury, MAWoodstove, Fireplace and Patio Shop, Inc. 348 Boston Post Road Sudbury, MA 01776 |  | Visit Store Page |
Duluth, MNDuluth Stove & Fireplace 2431 W Superior Street Duluth, MN 55806 |  | Visit Store Page |
Minneapolis, MNWoodland Stoves & Fireplaces 2901 Franklin Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55406 | | |
Oakdale, MNEnergy Savers of Minnesota 6298 Highway 36 Blvd N Oakdale, MN 55128 |  | Visit Store Page |
Rochester, MNBrekke Fireplace Shoppe 1904 S. Broadway Rochester, MN 55904 |  | Visit Store Page |
Walker, MNWilkening Fireplace Company 9608 State 371 NW Walker, MN 56484 |  | Visit Store Page |
Fargo, NDHome Heating, Plumbing & A/C Inc. 701 28th Street South Fargo, ND 58103 | | |
Omaha, NEFireplace By Design 13913 R Plaza Omaha, NE 68137 | | |
Epping, NHThe Stove Shoppe 285, Calef Highway Rte. 125 Epping, NH 03042 | | |
Windham, NHThe Stove Shoppe 25 Indian Rock Road Windham, NH 03087 | | |
Hamilton, NJBowden's Fireside - Hearth & Home 1731 Nottingham Way Hamilton, NJ 08619 |  | Visit Store Page |
Voorhees, NJRettinger Fireplace Systems, Inc. 476 Centennial Blvd Voorhees, NJ 08043 |  | Visit Store Page |
St. Henry, OHBuschur's Refrigeration, Inc. 541 N Eastern Avenue St. Henry, OH 45883 |  | Visit Store Page |
Media, PAChimney Cricket 101 State Road Media, PA 19063 |  | Visit Store Page |
Rapid City, SDHebron Brick Company 1543 Deadwood Ave Rapid City, SD 57709 |  | Visit Store Page |
Sioux Falls, SDHebron Brick Company 2211 W. 50th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57105-6525 |  | Visit Store Page |
Vermillion, SDKalin's Indoor Comfort Inc. 710 Cottage Avenue Vermillion, SD 57069 |  | Visit Store Page |
Manassas, VAWinston's Chimney Service 11301 Industrial Road Manassas, VA 20109 |  | Visit Store Page |
Barre, VTChimney Sweep Fireplace Shop 1284 US Rte, 302 Ste 10 Barre, VT 05641-2317 |  | Visit Store Page |
Bennington, VTFriends of The Sun 126 Hicks Avenue Bennington, VT 05201 |  | Visit Store Page |
Manchester, VTFriends of The Sun 159 Depot Street Manchester, VT 05255 |  | Visit Store Page |
Shelburne, VTChimney Sweep Fireplace Shop 3113 Shelburne Road Shelburne, VT 05482 |  | Visit Store Page |
White River Jnct, VTHome Comfort of New England 1255 VA Cut Off Road White River Jnct, VT 05001 |  | Visit Store Page |
Burlington, WIBurlington Fireplace & Heating LLC 857 Milwaukee Ave. Burlington, WI 53105 |  | Visit Store Page |
Madison, WITop Hat 5117 Verona Rd Madison, WI 53711 |  | Visit Store Page |
Morgantown, WVRustic By Design 709 Beechurst Ave. Suite 15 Morgantown, WV 26505 | | |
Laramie, WYHigh Country Stoves & Fireplaces 860 N. 3rd Street Laramie, WY 82072 | | |
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