Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season, and things usually get pretty busy from that point forward. But as busy as life gets, we remember it’s a season to give thanks for the wonderful people and blessings in our lives. Anderson’s Chimney Sweeps and Masonry Services of New Cumberland, PA, would like to extend our thanks to our customers we’ve had the pleasure to serve during the year.

As you prepare for your Thanksgiving celebration, we offer a few tips on keeping your chimney safe and making sure your holiday guests enjoy a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Get your chimney and fireplace into tip-top shape

The last thing you want during Thanksgiving is a chimney or fireplace that starts acting up. The best way to prevent this is to have your chimney cleaned and inspected prior to the holiday.

Chimney sweeping cleans out built-up creosote, which is responsible for most of the reported chimney fires in the New Cumberland, PA, region every year. Professional sweeping also removes draft-blocking flue debris that can cause smoke and deadly carbon monoxide to move into your living spaces.

A basic chimney inspection before Thanksgiving will catch early damage or malfunction and let you get any problems resolved before the start of the holidays.

Burn dry hardwoods in your fireplace

Hickory, oak, maple and other hardwoods burn longer and create much less smoke than softwoods like fir, spruce, pine and redwood. You’ll spend less time tending to the fire and have less worry about excess creosote forming with all the smoke going up the chimney.

In addition, never burn anything except firewood in the fireplace. This includes painted wood, fabric, plastic, metal, paneling, and general household trash. And do not use lighter fluid, charcoal starter or other accelerants to start fires.

Safety for the hearth area

The following are good tips for any time of year, but they’re especially helpful during Thanksgiving and other super-busy seasons.

• Move furniture and objects a safe distance away from the firebox.
• Use a fireplace screen to safeguard children and pets and to keep sparks from popping out of the firebox and landing on people and furnishings.
• Teach young kids to not play close to the fireplace – and still keep an eye on them.
• Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors. Add fresh batteries, if necessary, and test the devices to make sure they work correctly.
• Never vacate the house with a fire burning in the fireplace.

Be aware of chimney fires

Not all chimney fires are big, elaborate events. Some are small and go out before you notice them. But all chimney fires can cause damage and be dangerous to the home and the people in it.

Signs of a chimney fire include:

• An odd clicking or tapping sound coming from the chimney
• The rumbling sound of a distant train
• Excess dark smoke exiting either end of the chimney

If you notice any of these signs, get everyone out of the house and call 911. Do not attempt to put out a chimney fire yourself.

When the danger is over, schedule a chimney inspection before using the fireplace again.

All the help your chimney needs

Anderson’s Chimney Sweeps has been serving the greater New Cumberland, PA, region since 1990 with expert chimney sweeping, licensed chimney inspections and complete chimney repairs and rebuilding work.

Let us help you get your chimney ready for the holidays and beyond. Give us a call, or reach out with our contact form.