Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2015 | Page 152

Keep the home
fires burning

I

t’s that time of year when people
start to think about using their
open fires or wood burning stoves
again. The nights are darkening
slowly and the first chill of autumn
is in the air, and what better way to
cheer a gloomy day than to hunker
down by a warm fire?
In 2014 NFU Mutual estimates
its total claims bill for chimney
fires to be £3.9m. Your home and
possessions are precious, so before
you get the embers glowing, take
steps to check your chimney.
Chimneys should be checked or
surveyed to ensure that they are
structurally sound, well-maintained
and able to cope with the demands
of modern heating appliances.
Your chimney should be swept by
a professional chimney sweep at
least twice a year if it is in use all
year round, which should allow any
potential problems to be identified
at an early stage. You may also want
to fit a bird guard to deter birds
from building nests in your chimney.
Your chimney lining (if you have
one) should be regularly inspected,
especially when the main fuel is
wood, as tar deposits are highly
combustible and corrosive. If you
use logs, check carefully that they
are the correct size for your stove,
are hardwood, and seasoned for at
least a year – if so they will be dry
with plenty of cracks.
Many homeowners don’t
appreciate the cost of re-building a
property, so it is important to check
that your buildings and contents are
properly insured should a fire occur.
Fire can be devastating, but with a
few precautions you can safely enjoy
the warm glowing embers on the
darkest of days.

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