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Yes, a water leak poses a major fire risk at your home because water is a conductor of electricity. Water that comes into contact with sparks or electrical wires can instantly ignite flammable materials. Additionally, any type of exposure to water can cause wires and other electrical components within your home to corrode. When assessing categories of water damage, it's important to know that even a small amount of moisture near wiring could cause sparks that lead to a fire.

Baking soda is an effective fire reduction method. However, flour and baking powder are very dangerous around flames. Flour is flammable and it can also conduct electricity. The combination can cause serious injury from electrical shock and worsen the situation by adding fuel to the fire. Baking powder is also not an option as it's also highly flammable. 

There are several maintenance tips you should take to ensure your pellet stove's safety and proper maintenance. You should vacuum the ash pan every week to prevent overflowing and clean the stove and surrounding vents every three to four months. It’s also important to get a professional inspection every year and install a carbon monoxide detector close to your stove. Be sure to dispose of hot ashes in a closed metal container; store it outside, away from the house. Only use the pellets recommended by your stove's manufacturer, and follow any cleaning and maintenance instructions.

The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is more complex. Unless the fireplace is ventless by design, you’ll need some type of exhaust pipe system to safely send fumes and other harmful byproducts out of the house. Even then, ventless fireplaces are not always permitted because they do keep the byproducts inside of your house. Ventless fireplaces are safest when installed in spaces that are themselves well-ventilated, like large rooms with lots of windows.