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(508) 888-5985
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Heating Things Up on Our Wedding Anniversary at Home in Sandwich, MA

10/6/2015 (Permalink)

A romantic fire can turn into a soot mess in a matter of minutes.

 As the cooler days of autumn arrive, I cannot help thinking about my upcoming anniversary. It is without doubt one of my favorite “holidays” to celebrate and I genuinely enjoy coming up with new ways to surprise my husband on our special day. And I have to admit that last year I truly outdid myself in terms of shocking Billy…and me.

I had gotten home before Billy and started preparing for our celebration. I turned on the soft music, made myself a Cosmo, lit some candles around the room and then lit the fireplace. I was just about to change into “something a little more comfortable” when I noticed the room becoming smoky. I quickly determined that the flue in our chimney was broken and didn’t fully open. As the smoke continued backing up and pouring into the house, I considered different ways to douse the flames and decided that the fire extinguisher would be the best and safest method. Once the fire was out, I looked around and noticed all the soot covering my freshly painted walls. As the owner of a restoration company dealing with fire and soot damage on a daily basis, I knew the best way to clean the walls was with SERVPRO’s Wall & All cleaner. So I immediately got my rubber gloves, the cleaner, a bucket, and went to work. It was at that moment that my husband walked through the front door. Instead of finding me dressed in “something a little more comfortable” holding a drink in my hand…ready to celebrate, he saw me kneeling on the floor, wearing my sexiest rubber gloves, cleaning the walls. Yup, unfortunate surprises even happen to the owners of a restoration company. 

HINT: Every home should have a fire extinguisher. Try to keep it near the kitchen, where most fires start.

The Do’s of Fireplace Safety

  • Make sure the flu is open before starting a fire.
  • Have your chimney cleaned once a year. A buildup of creosote can cause a chimney fire.
  • Keep the doors closed and a hearth gate up if there are small children in the home. Supervise young children at all times when a fire is lit.   

    • The Don’ts of Fireplace Safety

  • Don't use gasoline to start the fire or to get it burning stronger. 
  • Don't let children sit near the hearth.
  • Don't burn a Christmas tree, which can cause a fire in your chimney.
  • Don't forget to check the fire to be sure it is fully out before you go to bed.
  • Don’t put the ashes and embers in the trash. Be sure to properly dispose of them at a safe distance from the house or other structures. 

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