Locally Owned & Operated by Brown's Insurance Agency, Inc. 9168 Prince William Street Manassas, VA 20110 Tel. 703-368-0333

Ash Disposal and Fireplace Safety

OOPS!

This fire resulted from a client who thought they had done everything properly. They removed the ashes from their woodstove and placed them in a metal container, and placed it at least 20 feet from any combustible materials.

So what went wrong? They placed the bucket of supposedly dead ashes outside on a windy day. Some embers were still live, and they were blown out of the bucket and into a pile of leaves next to their shed. Estimated cost - $17,000!

This client at least tried to do things right. We regularly see stories in the paper about people placing ashes in a cardboard box or paper bag and leaving it in the house. These stories usually end with a home destroyed.

Ashes should be removed using a metal shovel, and placed in a metal box with a lid that closes tightly. The box should be left for at least a week before being removed.

Never place ashes in a trashcan, cardboard box, paper bag, or any other combustible container!