A fireplace, either gas or wood-burning, is a great way to add charm and warmth to your home while reducing your heating bills during the cold Connecticut winter months.

For all the good they do, however, did you know that fireplaces and chimneys are involved in over 40% of home heating fires? So before you spark up another log, make sure your fireplace is able to keep you safe and comfortable by following these simple steps.

• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional chimney sweep at least once a year. This annual maintenance task can potentially save you thousands of dollars in damage while beefing up your home security.

• If you have a wood-burning fireplace, make sure to burn only seasoned wood, such as oak, that has been chopped and stored in a dry place for several months. Softer woods produce more creosote, which can build up in the chimney.

• Don’t overload the fireplace with wood. Smaller fires produce less smoke, and subsequently, less creosote.

• Avoid burning paper, cardboard, or anything other than wood in the fireplace and never use lighter fluid. These only cause more smoke, resulting in more creosote.

• Make sure your fireplace is equipped with a metal screen or glass doors to catch embers.

• Keep combustible items at least 3 feet away from any open flame.

• If you have a gas fireplace, be sure to turn the valve to the “off” position when not in use.

So what’s the big deal about minimizing and routinely cleaning away concentrations of creosote?  For starters, even though it’s a byproduct of a wood-burning fire, it’s combustible in its own right and can ignite from a floating ember and start a chimney fire.  If creosote is accidentally ingested, it can cause a burning sensation in your mouth and throat and, over time, lead to kidney and liver damage.

Luckily, exposure to creosote is relatively low when proper precautions are observed.  Speaking of which, fireplace owners are ideal candidates for a whole-house burglar alarm system, one that also can include hard-wired smoke and CO detectors.  After all, accidents can and do happen, and Now Security able and ready to help ensure you have all the protection you need against accidental injury or damage to your home.