General Fire and Chimney Safety
- Don’t store wood next to your fire or stove (as wood will ignite)
- Never burn unseasoned/green wood (moisture content should be 20% 0r less)
- Never burn household waste (a family in County Sligo died recently of a carbon monoxide intrusion due to a large crisps bag being caught in the chimney.
- Don’t leave fires unattended
- Use fire guards where appropriate
- Burn the recommended fuels for that fire or appliance
- Use smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
- Have your chimney swept regularly by a registered/certified chimney sweep (www.csai.ie) they will do much more than just clean your chimney.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms
1.5.1 Carbon monoxide: To ensure proper combustion and removal of the products of combustion a heat producing appliance should be correctly installed and regularly serviced. The provision of an alarm in accordance with the guidance below should not be regarded as a substitute for this.
1.5.2 Carbon monoxide alarms: Where a new or replacement open-flued or flueless combustion appliance, not designed solely for cooking purposes, is installed in a dwelling, a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm should be provided:
(a) in the room where the appliance is located, and
(b) either inside each bedroom or, within 5 m (16 ft.) of the bedroom door, measured along the path of the corridor.
**Building Regulations 2014 Technical Guidance Document J Heat Producing Appliances.
