As winter draws in there is nothing like the warmth of an open fire or wood burner.
But as your thoughts turn to using your fire or solid fuel stove, Norfolk County Council's Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to think about their safety as well.
Tips include:
*Before you light up, all fireplaces, stoves, chimneys and chimney liners should be checked by a competent chimney engineer(essential if you have a thatched roof).
*Also always use a guard with open fires, make sure open fires are properly extinguished last thing at night and only remove ashes when they are cold, disposing of them in a non combustible container.
*If you are bringing a chimney back into use after a long period of time, have it swept and ensure any chimney pot cover is removed and check that fires and stoves have adequate ventilation.
*Get boilers/flues serviced by a Corgi registered engineer to check for carbon monoxide leaks - a legal requirement if letting properties to tenants.
*If you hire a chimney sweep, ensure they are competent or registered with a professional association.
All chimneys should be swept regularly:
* for smokeless fuels -------- once per year
* for oil and gas --------------- once per year
* for non smokeless fuels --- twice per year
* for wood ----------------------- every three months when in use.
Graham Joy, Local Risk Manager with Norfolk County Council's Fire and Rescue Service, said: "With the nights drawing in and the temperatures beginning to dip (especially at night), we are coming to the time of year when our thoughts turn to heating our homes. Open fires and wood burners can be great source of pleasure but can also be very hazardous. We would urge people to be aware of the potential dangers and enjoy their fires in safety."
Mr Joy also reminded all householders to ensure their homes had working smoke detectors and to test them regularly.
