What’s The Purpose of a Safety Screen on My Fireplace

A fireplace comes with certain safety risks, but those risks can be reduced with a fireplace safety screen. Not only will they keep your family safe, but they’ll also keep your home protected from stray sparks and embers. Safety screens can be found as freestanding screens or be installed directly to the front of the fireplace. We recommend having a fireplace professional attach any permanent screens to avoid damaging the fireplace unit, because attaching an aftermarket screen directly to the fireplace can change its functionality.

Having a safety screen securely in place when a fire is burning can reduce the risk for potential burns. Gas fireplaces are generally the safest type of fireplace you can have, and it’s a great option for someone who wants a low maintenance fireplace. However, just because you have a gas fireplace, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a safety screen. No matter the type of fireplace you have – gas or wood burning – it’s crucial to have a safety screen installed.

While you may love hearing the crackle and pop of wood burning in the fireplace, having a hanging wire mesh or safety screen in place will prevent flying embers from escaping the fireplace. You can even install a freestanding screen that’s more durable and will help stop a shifting log from rolling out. If you have young children at home, we recommend installing a reinforced 3-panel fireplace screen, to keep them a safe distance away from the fire. Any kind of screen will really provide an extra layer of protection from the heat off the fire and you.

Keep Your Family Safe With Valley Chimney’s Help

At Valley Chimney, our top priority is to keep your family safe. The best way to do that, is to install a fireplace safety screen, or as we call it a spark screen. For over 40 years, our team has been keeping families in the western Chicagoland suburbs safe from house fires, and their chimneys properly maintained. If you don’t already have a spark screen installed, contact us today to schedule an appointment.