The new year is here and it brought a rash of small fires with it. The majority of these incidents were chimney fires and furnace related fires, the result of faulty equipment or a build up of soot on chimney walls. Often these fires are small and cause little damage, but once in a while they spread to the attic or adjacent wall and cause severe damage. So here are a few tips to help keep your home a little safer this cold wintery season:

• The National Fire Protection Association or NFPA suggests that all chimneys, fireplaces, and vents be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs shall be done if necessary. Even if you don't use your wood stove or fireplace that often it is still important to examine it to ensure that no animals are nesting in it and that mother nature hasn't caused any defects.
• When should you clean your chimney? The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that open masonry fireplaces be cleaned at 1/8" of sooty buildup. This is considered to be enough fuel buildup to cause a chimney fire capable of damaging the chimney or spreading fire to the home.
• We encourage residents to burn seasoned wood that has been sitting covered and has had a chance to dry so it will burn cleaner and hotter. When the wood is wet or green it tends to cause more build up of soot in your chimney because it does not burn as hot and is less heat efficient. This is because a lot of the heat produced is used to dry out the wet or green wood and not heat your house or help keep your chimney clean.
• We try to discourage residents from burning treated dimensional lumber or painted wood. Burning this wood can not only cause toxic fumes but some of the chemicals used in the paint or treated wood can act like a glue and rapidly increase the soot build up in your chimney.
• If you don't have a fireplace or wood stove, there are still a few things you can do to help keep your furnace or other heating appliances in good working condition. Keep the area around you furnace or baseboard heater clear and free of anything that could catch fire. Every furnace is different and requires different maintenance, so read your owners manual and do your best to keep up on it. Check your furnace filters monthly. If it's dirty change it; if not, check again next month.

Well, that’s about it for this month. We hope you find these tips useful. Until next time, don't forget to wave to the boys in the BRT.