fire safety in the home

[Stephen Blair]

hi guys, we have started using our open log fire again as it is getting colder, since last time we have got a new larger leather couch so it is a bit closer to the fire. The couch is second hand so doesnt have any labels on it, does anyone know the safe distance for furniture to be away from the fire, i know sparks can go pretty far but this is for the heat. Thanks:001_smile:

[David Humphries]

No idea i'm afraid Stevie, hope someone chimes in with an answer.

 

We were only talking yesterday at home about Fire safety with the boys.

Not entirely sure (though we have talked over it together) if Jake (7) could call for the Fire Brigade or unlock the Door at night, yet.

 

Think I need to make this right.

 

 

 

 

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[Stephen Blair]

Alexander is fine he is 5, he knows to stay away from it and tell me if there is a spark and not to put anything on it, we have the huge fireguard to stop Stwey and then a very fine mesh one inside that, We used to have a joke about the smoke alarm, i used to shout ' diners ready' it goes way back to my mates wifes dodgey cooking, then we realised the boys would think this is true rather than a fire:thumbdown:

[Kev Stephenson]

My 3 year old daughter shouts 'Mummy's cooking' when the smoke alarm goes off as well. She now comes to find me where ever I am and tells me the alarm is going.

[tommer9]

You would need direct flame to set that thing on fire steve. You need ocer 430 degrees before paper will ignite, let alone leather. Even a spark will have a hard job to light it up. Wiithout meaning to belittle any inherent dangers, the nannny state we live in has hyped up the danger way out of proportion. We have furniture inches away fom the fire in the winter and it often gets too hot to touch. No fire yet. Its as much a matter ofcomon sense as anything else. In fast i stack wood around the burner which regularly smoulders. When i smell it i move it.

[Samuel]

hi guys, we have started using our open log fire again as it is getting colder, since last time we have got a new larger leather couch so it is a bit closer to the fire. The couch is second hand so doesnt have any labels on it, does anyone know the safe distance for furniture to be away from the fire, i know sparks can go pretty far but this is for the heat. Thanks:001_smile:

 

can you not use a fire guard, we have out sofa less than two meters away from the fire and have never had any problems when we use it

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

One of my mates has a garden firepit. Recently he decided to dispose of an old sofa on it. Wish I'd seen the spectacle - 10' high flames, smoked out his neighbourhood etc! Bone dry mahogany frame got so hot that the concrete under the pit literally blew throwing concrete shrapnel around. Some mothers and all that!

[Andy Collins]

I dont think its much nanny state in this case, I remember when I was a kid a whole family getting killed in a house fire across the way from our house, the fire brigade thought a stray spark caused it. This was before modern fire prevention and precautions. I'd hate to see or hear of this ever happening again. Our kids had it drummed into them that if the smoke alarm goes off, get each other out of the house by the front door, or jump from their bedroom windows if that wasnt possible. We always shut stair doors (downstairs) to keep the stairway and door as safe as possible.

[Stephen Blair]

i really need a safe distance in cm's, just now myself and my wife are id slight despute about i. We need facts and figure:001_smile:, i have burnt a fire retardent sofa before, i lit a match and sat it on it, i will go and look out the pics and scan them, it was an inferno in under a minute. The risk it too high for any personal opinions and ' i thinks' no offense Tom:thumbup1:

[tommer9]

No i totally agree. Fire retardent doesnt mean it wont burn. it just means that it wont go up at the slightest provocation.