The importance of keeping your Chimney clean cannot be understated, you don’t have to look far to find the tragic consequences of an incorrectly maintained Chimney, that’s why we fully support Chimney Fire Safety Week by HETAS , this year its from 1st to 7th September 2025. There is a collection of really useful videos on the HETAS Youtube Channel that offer more tips and advice too!
We’re fast approaching Winter and the busiest time of the year, for both consumers looking for solid fuel and suppliers, like us, trying to sell it. Taking off the ‘sales hat’ for a moment, we’ve put together an important quick guide to keeping your chimney safe this year. Safety should be the absolute number one priority when enjoying the benefits of solid fuel.
- DON’T Store wood or coal next to your fire or stove
- DO Use firewood that contains less than 20% moisture
- DON’T Leave open fires unattended
- DO Use fireguards where appropriate
- DO Check the fuel you’re using is suitable for your appliance, then check again
- CHECK Your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms MONTHLY
- SWEEP your chimney at least once a year, by a certified HETAS sweep
Refuelling
For optimum results and getting the most from your fuel, follow these tips:
- Increase the draught level to assist in re-establishing the fire
- Add your required fuel
- Once your fire is then established, reduce the draught to achieve the correct burn rate.
Remember – forgetting to reduce the draught will burn your fuel hotter and more quickly
That’s it from us this time, we know a lot of you will know most of this already but with the uptick in popularity of solid fuel, we will always do our best to champion the safe and efficient use of our products.
Check back in October for our next blog on Protecting Yourself from Carbon Monoxide.