Safety First! Post your tips here.
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HatCityIAFF
Burning Hunk
I'll copy and paste this from a previous post:
ALWAYS put your ashes in a metal container, WITH a lid, on a NON COMBUSTABLE surface. I can’t tell you how many times we go to a house and the owner has old ashes in a plastic tupperwear container on his back deck
!
Also, SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES! I made it a point to replace the outdated one in my basement when I installed my insert a couple of months ago. Does it do me any good if i’m not home and the things going off and the house burns down? I could care less. It’s when I’m at work for the night and my wife is upstairs sleeping. Most fatalities in a fire occur when the victim is sleeping. You inhale some CO from the smoke while your sleeping, go unconcious, and thats it. We had two fires over the holiday weekend. One on Christmas Eve, and on on Christmas night. Turns out on Christmas night, a single dad has his two young sons visiting, awoke to the sound of the smoke detectors going off on the 2nd floor. He got out of bed, and the thick, dark smoke was already down to his waste. Crawled to the other side of the house, awoke his two sons, and they got out of the house with minor smoke inhalation. By the time we got there the whole 2nd story was engulfed in flames.What would of happened if working detectors wern’t installed? I don’t even want to think about it.
Be Smart!
ALWAYS put your ashes in a metal container, WITH a lid, on a NON COMBUSTABLE surface. I can’t tell you how many times we go to a house and the owner has old ashes in a plastic tupperwear container on his back deck
!Also, SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES! I made it a point to replace the outdated one in my basement when I installed my insert a couple of months ago. Does it do me any good if i’m not home and the things going off and the house burns down? I could care less. It’s when I’m at work for the night and my wife is upstairs sleeping. Most fatalities in a fire occur when the victim is sleeping. You inhale some CO from the smoke while your sleeping, go unconcious, and thats it. We had two fires over the holiday weekend. One on Christmas Eve, and on on Christmas night. Turns out on Christmas night, a single dad has his two young sons visiting, awoke to the sound of the smoke detectors going off on the 2nd floor. He got out of bed, and the thick, dark smoke was already down to his waste. Crawled to the other side of the house, awoke his two sons, and they got out of the house with minor smoke inhalation. By the time we got there the whole 2nd story was engulfed in flames.What would of happened if working detectors wern’t installed? I don’t even want to think about it.
Be Smart!
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
I'm sure I'll have more, but here's a start . . .
-- Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors . . . get 'em, install 'em -- and make sure everyone knows what to do when they go off.
-- Read hearth.com . . . and learn from our past successes, failures and near misses.
-- I have seen more woodstove-related fires caused by the improper disposal of ashes. Best bet is to put them in a covered metal pail on a non-combustible surface outside. Wait several days to weeks before disposing them.
-- There are no short cuts when it comes to installing a woodstove. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for clearances and hearths. I've seen a few fires caused by improper installs . . . usually since someone figured it didn't matter too much if the stove was a bit closer to the wall, they didn't really need to screw the stove pipe together, the R-value for the hearth is over-kill, etc.
-- Learn how to run the woodstove . . . and don't think it's like a Ronco Rotissierie -- you don't just set it and forget it . . . in other words you don't just chuck a bunch of wood into it, shut the door and walk away . . . you've got to take the time to get the fire into its "cruising speed" before going to sleep at night, heading to work or just walking away from the stove.
-- You've bought an expensive stove . . . if you want to have it for a long time you have to maintain it. This means cleaning the chimney, checking gaskets, etc.
-- Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors . . . get 'em, install 'em -- and make sure everyone knows what to do when they go off.
-- Read hearth.com . . . and learn from our past successes, failures and near misses.
-- I have seen more woodstove-related fires caused by the improper disposal of ashes. Best bet is to put them in a covered metal pail on a non-combustible surface outside. Wait several days to weeks before disposing them.
-- There are no short cuts when it comes to installing a woodstove. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for clearances and hearths. I've seen a few fires caused by improper installs . . . usually since someone figured it didn't matter too much if the stove was a bit closer to the wall, they didn't really need to screw the stove pipe together, the R-value for the hearth is over-kill, etc.
-- Learn how to run the woodstove . . . and don't think it's like a Ronco Rotissierie -- you don't just set it and forget it . . . in other words you don't just chuck a bunch of wood into it, shut the door and walk away . . . you've got to take the time to get the fire into its "cruising speed" before going to sleep at night, heading to work or just walking away from the stove.
-- You've bought an expensive stove . . . if you want to have it for a long time you have to maintain it. This means cleaning the chimney, checking gaskets, etc.
Jack Straw
Minister of Fire
Hanko
Minister of Fire
HatCityIAFF
Burning Hunk
Put a gate system up when you have little ones,
and
keep all trippingg hazards out of the area.
Look at the distance of combustibles near the stove. I see alot of pictures if piles of wood, brushes and wood boxes near the stove.
Also, at times when you are about to reload, and you are sliding the coals around, one may sneak out of the stove onto the hearth area, anyone using a fan blowing toward the stove could blow the ember toward a wall or onto the carpet, could smolder unknowingly and catch fire hours later.
Or sweeping the hearth of wood chips, where do you throw it out at? The trash can? I always put my pieces of debris in the ash pail.
Be safe
and
keep all trippingg hazards out of the area.
Look at the distance of combustibles near the stove. I see alot of pictures if piles of wood, brushes and wood boxes near the stove.
Also, at times when you are about to reload, and you are sliding the coals around, one may sneak out of the stove onto the hearth area, anyone using a fan blowing toward the stove could blow the ember toward a wall or onto the carpet, could smolder unknowingly and catch fire hours later.
Or sweeping the hearth of wood chips, where do you throw it out at? The trash can? I always put my pieces of debris in the ash pail.
Be safe
leeave96
Minister of Fire
We never ever leave the stove door or ash pan door open to boost the fire on start-up or reload.
Bill
Bill
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
GreyMum said:
It never hurts to check the manual and the measurements . . . while inspecting stoves installed by the shop I have seen a few times when things were not done quite right . . . but generally these guys are pretty good.
And for the record . . . I am not the wife . . . but my wife runs the stove just as safely as I do . . .
BobUrban
Minister of Fire
If you are procuring your own fire wood(as most on here are I would imagine) Please invest on a littel more than just a saw.
Chaps, quality ear and eye protection, wedges, etc... Also, learn all you can about cutting, felling and the saw you are using. It may save a life. Fortunately there is a ton of great infomation on this site in another forum regarding this.
Be safe out there and take breaks - better to have a job take two days than end up in the hospital or worse because you are tired but wanted to just finish up one more tree!
Chaps, quality ear and eye protection, wedges, etc... Also, learn all you can about cutting, felling and the saw you are using. It may save a life. Fortunately there is a ton of great infomation on this site in another forum regarding this.
Be safe out there and take breaks - better to have a job take two days than end up in the hospital or worse because you are tired but wanted to just finish up one more tree!
Wood Duck
Minister of Fire
GreyMum said:
I'd get the manual and check the measurements, not because I don't trust the stove shop owner (OK, partly for that reason) but mainly so you know the safe clearances, where you have some space, where you have minimum clearance, etc. You'll eventually end up storing things, drying boots, or stacking firewood near the stove but you should not stack anything combustible inside the safe clearance distance.
Put your ash bucket outside. Ashes can give off carbon monoxide. If you don't have an ash bucket, I bought mine at Lowes or Home Depot and it wasn't real expensive. It is nice to have a legit ash bucket rather than something else you're trying to make due with.
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
No comment on the wife comment........ grinning
Long welding gloves, buy them, use them, every time. ZFor the one time you don't use them, you can rest assured you will have a nice burn and scare on one forearm or the other.
Ash disposal set up: ash can with lid, scoop/shovel, an area outside that is Non combustible to put the ash can on. I use a garbage can with lid to dump the ash can into once full. Same deal on non combustible for the garbage can to set on.
A poker.
Fire & CO detectors.
Pay attention to where the ends of the wood rest if you load North to South, see where it lays when closing the door. Sucks to break the glass with a load in there. Hence the gloves again.
Plenty of non combustible area in front of the stove....18" minimum, I went 24", and wish I went more. Makes for safer area, and easier to clean.
Keep shoes, gloves etc a safe distance away if deciding to set by the stove to dry them out.
Be overly cautious and and never get too complacent!
Long welding gloves, buy them, use them, every time. ZFor the one time you don't use them, you can rest assured you will have a nice burn and scare on one forearm or the other.
Ash disposal set up: ash can with lid, scoop/shovel, an area outside that is Non combustible to put the ash can on. I use a garbage can with lid to dump the ash can into once full. Same deal on non combustible for the garbage can to set on.
A poker.
Fire & CO detectors.
Pay attention to where the ends of the wood rest if you load North to South, see where it lays when closing the door. Sucks to break the glass with a load in there. Hence the gloves again.
Plenty of non combustible area in front of the stove....18" minimum, I went 24", and wish I went more. Makes for safer area, and easier to clean.
Keep shoes, gloves etc a safe distance away if deciding to set by the stove to dry them out.
Be overly cautious and and never get too complacent!
SlyFerret
Minister of Fire
Stop by your local hardware store ot TSC and pick up a pair of inexpensive welding gloves. Put them on every time you are messing with a hot stove.
-SF
-SF
Dix
Minister of Fire
GreyMum said:
Yesssss
I have a rule. When the door is open, Murphy is not allowed with my arms reach of the stove. Keeps my mind at ease.
Ditto on the extinguisher & the gloves. I quickly became a glove fan.
many good posts the last several weeks on runaway stoves with high temps. Read these and put a plan together on what you will do if and when this may happen to you. I have not had to deal with this, but I have located the primary air intake for our stove and can picture how big of a tin foil ball I need to put in there.
NextEndeavor
Burning Hunk
While riding the steepest part of the learning curve, keep an eye on chimney sweeping especially if using marginal wood.
Totally agree with the gloves, detectors, smokes, and ash disposal posts. Very important stuff.
Clearances as well, and with a quality install and good equipment (i.e. stove, pipe, chimney and hearth) you should not be able to torch the structure by simply overfiring. Quality pre-fab chimney has to pass ridiculously stringent testing at extreme temperatures. Others are dead on when they point out that the ash disposal and the occasional escaping ember are MUCH more likely to cause a fire than almost anything else. Dry wood, good burning habits and chimney hygiene are important as well.
However, as one poster already pointed out, chainsaws are extremely dangerous. I have been a logger and a professional arborist for many years now, and I still come across situations that give me great pause. As far as death, dismemberment and general mayhem I think that chainsaws and large woody plants have the most potential. Just because you read a great book on how to get that tree down safely doesn't mean that it is a good idea to try. I compare directional felling with a notch and back cut (and maybe some plastic wedges and a load line) to the skills of billiards and perhaps aviation. It really does take LOTS and LOTS of practice to get good, and tons of tries to even achieve reasonable competence. Call an insured professional and swallow that silly pride. You would be surprised how little it can cost to simply have a pro "get it safely on the ground" with no cleanup, chunking, or hauling. Well worth the price.
Had a client who was a surgeon years ago. Got out his ladder (NOT a tree trimming tool) and broke his collar bone and crushed his hand and wrist. He probably lost more income in the couple months of rehab and recovery than I will make the rest of my life. And, as I softly told him, I would have taken care of it at that time for 65 bucks plus tax.
Stay safe and know your limits.
Clearances as well, and with a quality install and good equipment (i.e. stove, pipe, chimney and hearth) you should not be able to torch the structure by simply overfiring. Quality pre-fab chimney has to pass ridiculously stringent testing at extreme temperatures. Others are dead on when they point out that the ash disposal and the occasional escaping ember are MUCH more likely to cause a fire than almost anything else. Dry wood, good burning habits and chimney hygiene are important as well.
However, as one poster already pointed out, chainsaws are extremely dangerous. I have been a logger and a professional arborist for many years now, and I still come across situations that give me great pause. As far as death, dismemberment and general mayhem I think that chainsaws and large woody plants have the most potential. Just because you read a great book on how to get that tree down safely doesn't mean that it is a good idea to try. I compare directional felling with a notch and back cut (and maybe some plastic wedges and a load line) to the skills of billiards and perhaps aviation. It really does take LOTS and LOTS of practice to get good, and tons of tries to even achieve reasonable competence. Call an insured professional and swallow that silly pride. You would be surprised how little it can cost to simply have a pro "get it safely on the ground" with no cleanup, chunking, or hauling. Well worth the price.
Had a client who was a surgeon years ago. Got out his ladder (NOT a tree trimming tool) and broke his collar bone and crushed his hand and wrist. He probably lost more income in the couple months of rehab and recovery than I will make the rest of my life. And, as I softly told him, I would have taken care of it at that time for 65 bucks plus tax.
Stay safe and know your limits.
GreyMum said:
:lol: I will tell you buggerz that I "handle" that big bad 30 better than my husband.... :coolsmirk:
GreyMum, get the 20 incher welding gloves, mine go up past my elbows....I always always wear them when I am doing anything stove related. I have too many scars from previous mishaps... :shut:
remkel
Minister of Fire
Buying some stove gloves is good, actually using them is the challenge
Buying smoke detectors is good, maintaining them is the challenge
Loading the stove is good, having patience to ensure it is operating properly is the challenge
Cleaning the stove is good, keeping the ash bucket away from combustibles is the challenge
Having children is good, teaching them to respect the stove is the challenge
Having a wife is good, teaching her how to properly operate the stove is the challenge (at least here)
Reading information on hearth.com is good, sorting through and utilizing the information is the challenge.
Happy burning!
Buying smoke detectors is good, maintaining them is the challenge
Loading the stove is good, having patience to ensure it is operating properly is the challenge
Cleaning the stove is good, keeping the ash bucket away from combustibles is the challenge
Having children is good, teaching them to respect the stove is the challenge
Having a wife is good, teaching her how to properly operate the stove is the challenge (at least here)
Reading information on hearth.com is good, sorting through and utilizing the information is the challenge.
Happy burning!
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
greenteam said:
A few minor corrections . . .
Most experts recommend replacing the smoke detectors every 10 years . . . CO detectors vary according to the manufacturer with the change out date being anywhere from 3-7 years.
Also . . . good idea on the thermos . . . good for both the stove and flue.
JonP
Member
Wood Duck said:
Good call.
I keep my ash bucket outdoors away from the house and there is no shelter to act as a windbreak so I place a couple of bricks on the lid so it doesn't blow away and potentially hot ashes or embers get scattered by the wind. If it is nearly empty I may place a brick inside to act as weight to hold it down.
JonP
Member
firefighterjake said:
I advise people to use a sharpie and write the date they install the detector on the back of it so they can refer to it later, I also advise to do the same with the battery.
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