Safety Tips - Gas Fireplaces
Besides their decorative qualities, gas fireplaces can provide comfortable, economical and supplemental heating for your living space. Before using gas fireplaces, however, it is important to conduct routine inspections and maintenance.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions in the owner’s manual, or use the care guide for maintenance and use of your gas fireplace.
- Installation and repair of a fireplace should be done by a qualified professional serviceperson.
- A fireplace should be inspected before each use, and checked annually by a qualified professional serviceperson.
- The appliance’s control compartments, burners and circulating air passageways must be kept clean.
- Do not store combustible materials, gasoline or other flammable vapours and liquids in the vicinity of your fireplace.
- Due to high temperatures, the fireplace should be installed out of traffic and away from furniture and draperies.
- Children and adults should be alerted to the hazards of high surface temperatures and should stay away to avoid burns or the possibility of clothing catching on fire.
- Young children should be carefully supervised when they are in a room with a fireplace.
- Clothing or other flammable material should not be placed on or near the fireplace.
- Any safety screen or guard removed for servicing a fireplace must be replaced before operating the appliance.
- Gas fireplaces with glass doors should not be operated if the glass is cracked or broken.
- Do not clean your fireplace if it is operational or still hot.
- Do not use abrasive cleaners, and always refer to the manufacturers’ instructions when cleaning glass components of your fireplace.
- Any home that contains combustion appliances such as a gas fireplace should have a CSA-certified CO detector installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you intend to purchase a new carbon monoxide alarm, be sure to look for one bearing the CSA Blue Flame mark and CSA 6.19-01 reference mark.