1. Keep the area clear
Keep furniture, decorations, and anything flammable well back from the fireplace or stove. Follow the clearances in your owner's manual.
2. Test your alarms
Make sure you have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, and test them regularly. Your fireplace is one good reason among many.
3. Handle ashes carefully
Ashes can stay hot for a long time. Put them in a metal container with a tight lid, and keep it outside, away from your home.
4. Never leave a fire alone
Make sure a wood fire is out before you go to bed or leave the house. Keep children and pets away from hot glass and metal, including on gas fireplaces.
5. Burn only clean, dry wood
Don't burn garbage, treated wood, or painted wood. They can give off harmful fumes and leave more residue in your chimney.
6. Know when to stop
Stop using the fireplace if smoke comes into the room, or if you notice unusual smells or damage. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. Have the fireplace checked before you use it again.