3 Home Finishing Tips to Reduce the Chances of Fires Around Fireplaces

When you working to finish an area around a wood burning stove, furnace or fireplace, it's imperative that the materials around the fire-powered unit are flame resistant. You don't want any sparks jumping from the fire and starting a house fire that can quickly burn out of control. Here, you'll find a few ideas to help make sure that the wood burning unit poses as little risk as possible while in use.

Check Out Stone Products

There are a vast array of stone products to use in the interior of your home. You can find stone countertops, flooring and wall coverings that will not only beautify your home, but it will help decrease the chances of a fire burning out of control due to a single spark.

Stone products come in various forms—you can find sheets of stone ready to hang on the walls or individual tile-like stones that need to be pieced together. Think about installing stone on the walls and the flooring around the wood burning stove—don't forget the area where you'll be storing your firewood inside. You want this area to be protected by stone as well to decrease bug damage and moisture problems under the pile of wood.

Consider Fire-Resistant Ceiling Tiles

If you have a tiled ceiling in the area where the wood burning unit is, consider installing fire-resistant ceiling tiles. The more fire-resistant you can make the space, the more of a chance you'll have in extinguishing it before it spreads to the rest of the home. These ceiling tiles can be found in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and finishes, so you'll be sure to find a product that will coordinate nicely with the stone and the rest of the home.

Eliminate Drapes in the Space

One thing that really does get a fire going is when it reaches the drapes in a room. From that point, the fire has a quick path from the floor to ceiling and it will quickly spread. Eliminate the drapes in the area and opt for some sort of blinds. Whatever you choose will be much safer than long panels of fabric hanging from ceiling to floor.

That wood burning stove, furnace or fireplace doesn't have to be dangerous. Be sure to study fire safety when using these units and prepare the rest of the home for the "just in case" scenarios that can happen at any given time.