How to Put Out a Fire in a Fireplace
Owning a high-quality fireplace can be a great joy for a homeowner. There is something that is just so comforting about relaxing in front of a fire during the winter months. Fireplaces are also a highly effective way to achieve successful home heating. There really is a long list of benefits that come along with having a fireplace installed in your home. With this said, it is of the utmost importance that fireplace owners have a strong understanding of how to put out a fire in a fireplace.
It is particularly important to know how to put out a fire in a fireplace for those times when you suddenly need to leave your home. You want to make sure that you are not leaving a dangerous situation that could end up starting a fire in your house. Having the knowledge of how to put out the fire in your fireplace can provide you with valuable peace of mind.
Understanding the Basic Mechanics of a Fire
It can be helpful to have a basic understanding of the mechanics of a fire as a part of learning how to put out a fire in your fireplace. There are three primary factors that make up the triangle of combustion. These include fuel, heat, and oxygen. One of these elements must be taken away to effectively extinguish a fire.
Fuel – The burning logs in your fireplace are the fuel that makes the whole thing go. Since these are already on fire at the point that you are wanting to extinguish the flame, it is not going to be possible to remove this element.
Heat – One way to put out a fire is to simply let it burn out on its own. It is important to note that you should never let a fire burn out on its own unattended. As the heat decreases over time from the fuel being expended, the fire will eventually go out. This is not particularly helpful when you are in a hurry and need to quickly put the fire out in your fireplace.
Oxygen – Due to the previously mentioned factors, it is the oxygen that you must remove when you want to quickly put out the fire in your fireplace.
How Do You Extinguish a Fire at Home?
There are four basic steps that you need to utilize when looking to safely and effectively extinguish a fire at home. These steps include spreading out the fuel and any embers that are present. It also involves burying the wood and burning embers with cooled ash. Covering the fire with baking soda is the third step. The final step is to spend several minutes monitoring the fire to ensure that it is effectively extinguished. To effectively put these steps into action, you will need a fireplace poker and shovel as well as the previously mentioned baking soda.
- Spread out the remaining fuel and embers – The first step to take begin the process of putting out a fire in your fireplace is the take your poker and gently use it to spread out all of the remaining fuel and the glowing embers. This can take a bit of time if your fire was going strong prior to beginning the process. You need to spread all of this material into a flattened mound. This will help to cool off the fire and allow for it to be extinguished quicker.
- Bury the fuel and embers – The next step is to take your shovel and use your mound of cooled down ash to bury all of the remaining fuel and embers that are present in your fireplace.
- Utilize baking soda to cover the reaming fuel and embers – After step two has been completed, you must take your baking soda and The sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda will help to make sure that there are no remaining embers that continue to burn in your fireplace. This is the same ingredient that is used by many fire extinguishers to put out fires.
- Monitor the fireplace for a few minutes – Your final step is to monitor your fireplace for a few minutes after you have applied the baking soda. This is so that you can be sure that the fire is out before you leave it unattended.
Using this method is the safe and effective way to quickly extinguish the fire in your fireplace. It is important to note that you should avoid using water as a method to put out a fire. Doing so can cause an outburst of smoke and it can also lead to steam burns. Water should only be used as a way to extinguish a fire in a fireplace in an emergency situation where there is nothing else available. The use of water can also end up causing damage to the masonry of a fireplace if it is of the built-in variety.
Do You Have to Put Out a Fire in a Fireplace?
It is common for fireplace owners to ask the question of whether or not it is necessary to put out a fire in a fireplace. The answer to this is fairly simple. The only time you should allow the fire in your fireplace to burn out on its own without any intervention from yourself is if you are going to be present the entire time until there are no remaining flames or red embers present.
Is It Safe to Leave a Fire Burning in the Fireplace Overnight?
You should never leave your fireplace burning and unattended overnight while you sleep. This represents a major safety hazard. A fireplace should never be left burning if it is going to be unattended in any capacity. This includes during the night while you sleep. You should always extinguish the fire using the previously mentioned method anytime that you are going to leave your home or plan to go to bed for the night.
These points illustrate the importance of understanding how to put out a fire in a fireplace. To find out more information about this topic, reach out to our team here at Fireplace Concepts Inc. We are the go-to fireplace experts that homeowners rely on here in the Lexington, KY area. You can contact us by giving us a call at (859) 258-2121 or you can leave a message and a member of our team will reach out to you shortly.
JimHopper
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- Fireplace Concepts Inc.
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