Wood burning fireplaces are an amazing addition to the average home. They’re a lovely way to keep warm during a power outage and turn up the romance when you are enjoying a quiet evening at home. The wood burning fireplace isn’t exactly a safe spot for children to play, though, so it’s our job as adults to make sure we teach them fireplace safety from a very young age. Here are several ways to teach toddlers about fireplace safety.
Playpens and Barriers
We protect our children from many things with playpens and baby gates; the wood burning fireplace is no different. Never place the playpen within 3 feet of the fireplace. The safe distance is three feet from the fire box, but it’s also important to teach our children to stay away from the hearth as well. Toddlers and rambunctious children may fall into the hearth and get hurt, even if they’re far away from the firebox.
Cushions and Corner Protectors
Toddlers are often unsteady on their feet and a fall in the wrong direction could lead to serious bruising, a concussion, or worse. Apply corner protectors on the hearth so the brick or stone isn’t exposed and doesn’t pose an injury risk for your toddler.
Color Sheets and Activity Books
Most children enjoy coloring books and activity books. Make use of this special craft time with your child to introduce educational material including fire safety color sheets and activity books. You can find several color sheets online and a lot of free information to boot. Education is the key to protecting and preparing our children for growing into adults and becoming responsible members of society; education begins at home with you.
Storage for Tools
Fireplace tools are necessary for the proper operation of your wood burning fireplace. Always store these tools away in a safe location while they’re not in use. Make sure they are also safely away from the reach of curious hands when they are in use or needed near the fireplace.
Never Leave them Alone
Never leave your children alone in the room with the fireplace. Children are notoriously curious; curiosity is how they learn and how they grow. Allow your children freedom to roam the room, but always stay with them, especially when the fireplace is in use.
We fully understand that not all homeowners are familiar with DIY home improvement projects or comfortable with the idea of cleaning the dryer vent hose or chimney flue on their own. That’s perfectly okay, and we respect the decision to hire a professional C-DET technician or CSIA Certified chimney sweep for the job. Give us a call at 610-626-2439 if you would like to schedule an appointment for a dryer vent cleaning with one of our C-DET technicians or a chimney inspection with our CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps.