Keep Your Fireplace Child & Pet-Friendly

Childproof your FireplaceThe fireplace is often the heart of the home on cold, winter nights since it provides a cozy and warm atmosphere to enjoy. Even though a fireplace is one of life’s little pleasures, it can become a safety hazard if you own pets or have children. In order to make sure that everyone in the family can enjoy the ambiance of a burning fire, it’s important to childproof and pet proof your hearth and fireplace. Check out these tips to help reduce the risk of accident and protect your curious little ones and furry friends from fireplace injuries.

Install Glass Doors

There isn’t much that’s more dangerous than an open fire which can easily be touched by little hands or paws. Having glass doors installed on your fireplace can keep the flames out of reach from children and pets who are enticed by the beauty of dancing flames. Many pre-fabricated fireplaces and fireplace inserts come equipped with glass doors, but if you have an old, traditional wood burning fireplace, check with your local chimney sweep or fireplace store to see what style or model will work best.

It’s important to note that while glass doors will keep the flames and sparks contained, that glass doors and the surrounding hearth can become very hot and may even cause burns when touched so it’s important to take extra preventative measures to ensure the safety of wondering hands.

Put Up a Gate

There are a number of fireplace gates currently available on the market. From plain and inexpensive to fancy, stylish, and beautiful, you’ll be able to find a gate that not only meets your safety needs but also adds a decorative statement to your hearth area. Depending on the design of your fireplace and heath, a gate may be all you need to ensure that all the safety aspects of your fireplace are addressed.

Invest in Hearth Padding

Hearth padding looks like the same rubber bumpers that you put on table edges and other sharp corners when you childproof your home. It may not be the prettiest addition to your fireplace area but it installs quickly and adds a great deal or protection from the sharp edges of your hearth.

Keep Fireplace Tools & Toolsets Out of Reach

Children may be tempted to play with the shovels, pokers, brooms, and other fireplace tools that sit in the decorative stands next to fireplaces. Although convenient for tending to a fire, they have the potential to cause serious injury to inquisitive little hands. They may also be easily knocked over by larger pets who try to get close to the fire to enjoy the cozy heat it produces. To prevent possible accidents, it’s best to keep tools and toolsets out of reach, either behind a gate or removed completely from the hearth area.

Don’t Forget Supervision

childproofing a fireplace

Always supervise pets and children when a fire is burning

Even with safety measures installed, clever children or pets can still find ways to get into something they shouldn’t, so it’s always important that they are 100% supervised when a fire is burning. Discuss fireplace safety with your kids as early as possible and keep reinforcing boundaries each burning season so that they will become accustomed to leaving the fireplace alone.

Even with all the beauty a fireplace has to provide, they can still be a safety hazard if not addressed properly. If you have any questions regarding fireplace safety precautions or other preventative measures that you’d like to discuss, contact our fireplace professionals today. We can help get your fireplace and hearth safe for your growing family.

Chimney Solutions, Inc.
1155 McFarland 400 Drive, Alpharetta GA 30004
Office 770-255-1300

Chimney Sweep / Chimney Repairs / Chimney Liners / Fireplace & Stove Service
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