Feel that chill in the air? Winter is upon us, so now is the perfect time to check your chimney and fireplace before you light it in the colder months.

Fireplaces provide warmth and comfort to homes for families through winter, but they can also become an unwelcome nuisance in the community.

Mayor of Camden, Cr Theresa Fedeli, said it is important to have your fireplace professionally cleaned and checked before it is used.

“Fireplaces create very cosy rooms for people to shield themselves away from the cold temperatures, but incorrect use of wood fire heaters could lead to a range of dangers to the community,” Cr Fedeli said.

“It is recommended to have fireplaces inspected and fire boxes and flues cleaned on a yearly basis. These safety checks could save a homeowner from a chimney fire which could cause major damage to a home.

“Woodsmoke pollution could also create a problem for neighbours so it is ideal to be burning only aged dry timber.”

Some easy steps residents can take to start the season include:

• Have the fire box and flue thoroughly cleaned;
• Check for wear and tear and have all repairs attended to by appropriately qualified tradespeople;
• Have a ready supply of good quality dry timber and kindling; and
• Refresh your operator skills. Be sure you know how your wood heating appliance works and operate it at its optimum settings at all times.

Checking fire safety around the home including changing batteries in smoke alarms and taking care while using electric or gas heaters, lighting candles or while smoking cigarettes is also important at the beginning of winter.

For more information on using wood fired heating appliances, visit Wood Smoke Reduction Program.