Safe use of a wood stove or fireplace in an outage: chimney checks, carbon monoxide, ventilation, ash and why charcoal never goes indoors.
- Have the chimney inspected and cleaned each year, and burn only dry seasoned wood.
- Keep the damper open, and use working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Never use charcoal, grills, camp stoves or generators indoors.
A wood stove or fireplace can be a lifeline in a winter outage, but it only helps if it is safe. Chimney fires, smoke and carbon monoxide are the real dangers, and they are most likely when people use equipment they have not checked in a while.
Use this guide as a safety checklist, and follow your appliance manual and local fire rules where they are stricter.
Before the cold arrives
Have your chimney and flue inspected and cleaned by a qualified professional, ideally every year before heating season. Burning wood leaves a tarry residue called creosote, which builds up in the flue and can ignite. Check that the damper opens fully, the stove door seals, and the stovepipe has no cracks or loose joints.
- Install smoke alarms on every level and carbon monoxide alarms near sleeping areas. Use battery or battery backup models.
- Keep a fire extinguisher where you can reach it, and know how to use it.
- Store dry, seasoned firewood outdoors off the ground and bring in only a day's supply.
- Check that your appliance is certified for your use and installed according to local codes.
Lighting and running the fire
Open the damper fully before lighting, and keep it open until the fire is completely out and the ashes are cold. A closed or partly closed damper traps smoke and carbon monoxide in the room. Burn only dry, seasoned wood, and never burn trash, treated lumber, painted wood or plastics. Do not use gasoline, lighter fluid or other flammable liquids to start or boost a fire.
Keep furniture, curtains, rugs, paper and anything flammable well clear of the stove and fireplace, following the clearance in your manual. Use a screen or glass doors on a fireplace so sparks cannot jump out, and use a hearth or non-combustible floor protector under a stove.
Never leave a fire unattended, and do not go to sleep with a fire burning in an open fireplace. Keep children and pets back from hot surfaces.
Carbon monoxide and ventilation
Any fuel that burns can make carbon monoxide. A well functioning stove or fireplace vents the gas up the chimney, but a blocked chimney, a closed damper, downdrafts or a leaky stovepipe can push it back into your home. Carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled.
If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or someone has a headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion, get everyone outside to fresh air and call 911 or your local emergency number. Do not go back in until responders say it is safe. Read more in our carbon monoxide safety guide.
Check outside after snow or ice storms, since a blocked chimney cap or a drift over a vent can cause backdrafts. Weather and wind can also affect draw, so pay attention if smoke spills into the room.
Ash, embers and cleanup
Ashes can hold hot embers for days. Scoop them into a metal container with a tight lid, place it on a non-combustible surface outdoors away from the house, deck and woodpile, and leave it there until you are sure the ash is cold. Never use a vacuum cleaner or put ashes in a paper bag, cardboard box or plastic bin.
Heating your home safely beyond the stove
A single stove usually warms one or two rooms. Close doors to the rest of the house and gather everyone in the warm space. Layers, blankets and rated sleeping bags help. Our guide on staying warm without power covers the full approach, and the winter storm prep checklist shows what to have ready. Browse safe lighting and heating gear in our heat and light hub.
If you have a gas fireplace or a wood fireplace insert with a fan, remember the fan may need power, and some gas units need electricity to ignite. Read your manual to see what works without power.
When not to use it
If the chimney is damaged, if you smell smoke that does not leave through the flue, or if you are unsure when it was last cleaned, do not light it. Move to another warm space or shelter, and ask a qualified chimney professional to inspect it before use.
Quick answers
Can I cook on my wood stove?
Some stoves are designed for it. Follow your manual, keep the damper open, and never use charcoal or camp stoves indoors.
How do I know the chimney is safe?
Have it inspected by a qualified professional. If you are not sure, do not light it.