Get matched with top fire pit installation pros in Choctaw, OK

One of the best ways to know your chimney is good to go on any given night is to simply look up into your flue with a flashlight. If you see a thick buildup of creosote—a shiny, dark substance that looks like tar—it’s best to have your fireplace professionally cleaned before you go ahead with the burn. Additionally, having your fireplace professionally inspected once per year can also help increase your peace of mind and keep your family and your home safe.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says you can place smoke detectors on either the ceiling or the wall, depending on the setup of your room. Since smoke rises, the ceiling makes sense, but if you go with a wall mounting, the alarm should be installed high up—no less than 12 inches from the ceiling. 

No, you can’t completely fireproof a house. There is always a chance that a fire can break out inside or outside your home. Even if most of the home is built with fireproof materials, a long-burning fire can still cause damage. Still, fireproofing efforts can buy you additional time to evacuate and give you a better chance of salvaging your home after a fire rather than needing to rebuild entirely.

After a house fire, you should not reenter your home unless the fire crew has told you it’s safe to do so. In the longer term, you should not attempt to make repairs to the house on your own. Professional crews are trained to clean up after a fire (including smoke and soot damage), dry out any water damage from the firefighter crews, and make the necessary structural, plumbing, and electrical repairs—and this is all likely covered by insurance.