381-8 Old Riverhead Road

Westhampton Beach, NY

Tel. 631-998-0780

Hours: Tues. - Thur. 9am to 3pm / Fri. 9am to 12pm (or by appt.) / Sat. - Mon. Closed

Our Company Blog

Safety Tips for Your Gas Fireplace

If you’re like many homeowners, you’ve opted for a gas fireplace to increase home value, improve convenience, and gain the ambiance of a comfortable crackling fire all in one swoop. Maybe you decided to install a new gas fireplace to avoid a major chimney and firebox restoration or you just needed to stop chopping or purchasing firewood. No matter what the reason, your gas fireplace is installed, it’s beautiful and works great. There are still a few safety tips to keep in mind to make your experience this fall and winter safe and happy.

Beach Stove and Fireplace

Professional Installation and Service Only

The best way to ensure safety year after year is to have your gas fireplace installed by a certified professional. Your fireplace may even require professional installation and service in order to maintain your warranty. If you haven’t used a gas appliance before, you will need the gas company to hook up the supply to your new fireplace, and a professional will have to make all connections properly in order for the appliance to work properly and safely.

Watch for Clearance and Hazards

Going into fall and winter, it’s important to remember safe clearance around your fireplace opening. Many homeowners change décor when seasons change, and it’s important that none of these flammable decorations put your family and home at risk. Gas fireplaces are extremely safe when operated properly, but it’s still important to remember that the gas fire is still a fire. It can turn dangerous at any time. Nothing should be burned in your gas fireplace—no paper, clothing, trash, or any other material.

Double Check Doors, Screens, and Damper

All components of your gas fireplace should be checked on a regular basis. To remember, you can check over your fireplace the same time you check your smoke detector. Clean the glass doors, check hinges and handles, connectors, and open and close the damper if your gas fire is vented. It’s also important to clean the fireplace. Any parts that are removable should be removed, cleaned, and replaced. Dust the logs and the floor of the fireplace.

Teach Fireplace Safety

Your family and your guests should be taught proper fireplace safety so that everyone can stay safe and warm this winter. Only those who have permission and who have the proper training should light the gas fireplace. Whether by remote or by pilot light and a match, only adults should light the fireplace, and it should never be left unattended or burning when residents are out of the home or asleep.

Proper Ventilation

Most of the problems that come from gas fireplaces have to do with improper ventilation. If you notice condensation or wet patches on your walls or furniture, you may have a problem with your fireplace. If the gas fireplace isn’t venting properly, you may have serious hazards that put your health at risk. Call a professional to have your system checked out right away.

If you are a homeowner in and around Westhampton Beach and have a gas fireplace, we can help keep your family warm and safe this winter. Call 631-998-0780 or stop by our office at 381-8 Old Riverhead Road today.

By Julie Dismore on July 31st, 2019 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Comments Off on Safety Tips for Your Gas Fireplace

Safety Tips for Wood Stoves, Fireplaces, and Inserts

The holiday season has officially begun, and next to setting up and decorating a Christmas tree, lighting a fire is the second-favorite holiday tradition. Wood fires during the holidays set a mood that says: comfort, warmth, family. A beautiful fire in a stove, fireplace, or insert can be the best backdrop to holiday gatherings and festivities, and help supplement heat during cold winter days and nights. It can be devastating. Make sure your fire appliance is installed by a professional and that you’re using it correctly.

Fire Safety

How you use your fireplace can help you stay safe, or put your family and home at risk. Don’t take chances. Instead, take action.

Take care of your fireplace.Safety Tips for Wood stoves, fireplaces and inserts

Whether you have a stove, fireplace, or insert, it needs to be regularly cared for. This doesn’t only mean professional care, but ongoing care during use. Removing ashes on a regular basis will keep embers and burning logs from falling out of your fire. In addition, you should check the hinges, glass, and connections of your system as often as you check your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detectors (monthly).

Use it properly.

You should use the damper and other parts of the fireplace and chimney system properly. Using the damper improperly can lead to smoke being pushed into the home and carbon monoxide poisoning. It can also keep you from a warm fire this winter.

Use correct fuel.

You should only burn properly-seasoned firewood in your unit. This helps your fire burn hotter and cleaner, resulting in less dangerous creosote coating the inside of your flue, and helps your fuel last longer.

Tend to your fire.

Never leave a fire unattended. While you’re sleeping or out of the house, you should not have a fire burning in an open fireplace. The majority of house fires occur during the night–while the family is sleeping. This results in more loss of property and injury or death to family members in the home. Even during waking hours, children should never be left alone with a fire that is burning.

Install safety features. 

You can decrease the likelihood of accidental burns and falls into a fire by installing a fireplace screen and glass doors. It is better to get a minor burn than a major one, and it’s far easier to treat. Keep the children safe also by using baby gates and similar devices placed appropriately.

Install detectors and alarms.

It’s important to have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors installed before using a fire appliance. There should be one device on each level of your home, and the batteries should be checked regularly and changed every 6 months. These devices can save your life and should never be disabled.

Set rules for your fire.

Talk with your family about who is able to tend to the fire and make sure those who can are trained in safety. Do not allow guests to your home for the holidays to mess with your fireplace. Make sure everyone knows the rules and the safe escape route in the event of a fire.

While you’re enjoying your fire this winter, make sure that everyone stays safe while staying warm. Check out these tip sheets for more information about fire safety.

By Julie Dismore on November 30th, 2018 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Safety Tips for Wood Stoves, Fireplaces, and Inserts

Fireplace Safety Tips

Even when you use your fireplace less in the warmer weather, there are still things to remember. In fact, using your fireplace less may make you more lax when it comes to fireplace safety. Your fireplace is still the focal point of your living space, and you still may choose to use it for ambiance and supplemental heat during the spring. Fire safety should always be the #1 priority when you have a fireplace in your home.

When the Fire is Out

When there isn’t a fire burning in the fireplace, it’s important to remember it is still dangerous. If there are children or guests with children in the home, they should use caution while playing near the hearth, even when there is no fire lit.

-Treat the fireplace as if there is a fire burning in it.
-Keep the fireplace screen up and properly installed.
-Close doors securely and check the hinges and latches regularly.
-Keep the damper closed when a fire is not burning to prevent animal intrusion that may cause damage and obstruction.

When the Fire is Burning

When you’re ready to light a fire in your spring fireplace, it can be tricky. The air becomes more warm and humid during spring, making it more difficult to light a fire. Only burn properly seasoned firewood in your fireplace.

When Burning Fires Outside

Spring is a popular time to open your outdoor fire pit for the season. Depending on the style of fire pit you might have in your outdoor space, you may not be worried about fire safety. However, when a fire is burning, fire safety should be a concern!

-Never leave a fire unattended.
-Keep children away from the fire.
-Only burn wood and kindling in your fire. Leaves, pine cones/needles, and paper can float away and cause a fire elsewhere.
-Fill a bucket of water and keep it nearby in case of emergency.
-Use proper, long-handled tools to stir the fire.
-Use long-handled spears for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs to avoid burns.
-Roast marshmallows over embers instead of flames in order to avoid a torch-like fire.
-When putting your fire out, spread out the embers and sprinkle water to avoid hot embers spraying when you dump a large amount of water.

It is always important to know your fire appliance. If you use your appliance improperly, it may be unsafe and you don’t realize it. Read your owner’s manual if you never have and make sure you know how it’s designed to work. You may need to cover your fire pit or do something special to prevent damage that can make it malfunction before you use it again.

When you buy your outdoor products from Beach Stove and Fireplace you will receive your manual and the expert advice of our technicians. Are you thinking about a fire pit and don’t know where to start? Start at Beach Stove and Fireplace! Call 631-998-0780 or come by our showroom!

By Julie Dismore on April 23rd, 2018 | Tagged with: Tags: , , | Comments Off on Fireplace Safety Tips

National Fire Prevention Week October 8-14

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) dedicates a week in October each year to raising awareness about fires. House fires, apartment fires, hotel fires, dorm fires, camper and RV fires–they are all deadly. They only allow seconds (two minutes at the most) for a safe escape, and death and injury can most often be prevented with some planning.

Beach Stove and Fireplace Helps Prevent Fires

At Beach Stove and Fireplace, it’s our priority year-round to protect our customers from chimney fires. We do this by selling and installing the best and safest products on the market, and by partnering with Guaranteed Chimney Service for repairs and maintenance. How? By raising awareness in our communities about the dangers of improper use of chimney systems and fire appliances. We do this by partnering with NFPA to promote National Fire Prevention Week.

There are too many deadly house fires each year. In fact, according to NFPA, there were 365,500 home fires in 2015, resulting in over 2,600 deaths and 11,000 injuries. These numbers have decreased substantially since the 1970’s, in large part due to regulations, community education, and swift fire and rescue services. Professionals across industries have made it a priority to bring down this number, and to prevent the loss of life and property. The chimney industry is no different.

Preventing Chimney Fires

The most proactive thing you can do to prevent a chimney fire in your home is to take care of it. A dirty, neglected chimney is the one that will ignite and cause a house fire.

  • Always hire a professional to install, assess, or repair components of your fireplace and chimney system.
  • Schedule chimney sweeps to clean away debris, soot, and creosote that can bring down chimney efficiency and ignite.
  • Schedule annual CSIA inspections to assess your chimney for safety and identify hazards.
  • Burn properly seasoned wood in your stove, insert, or fireplace. Never burn trash, clothes, or other items that may burn too hot and ignite the flue.
  • Practice fire safety and teach your children and family to do the same.
  • Install carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms in your home, making sure to check batteries monthly.
  • Make a fire escape plan with your family. Plan two ways out of every room if possible, and practice regularly with the entire family.
  • If you experience a flue fire, make sure you do not use your chimney system until it has been assessed for safety.

After a house fire, you may be stressed, grieving, and possibly injured. Your home may not be safe to return to. It is our hope that you never have to experience this, but preserving life is the goal. You can do all you can to prevent a chimney fire, or a house fire, but it can occur anyway. During National Fire Prevention Week, plan an escape so that death and injury can be prevented in the event of a fire. Check out many family resources at www.firepreventionweek.org!

By Julie Dismore on October 9th, 2017 | Tagged with: Tags: , , , | Comments Off on National Fire Prevention Week October 8-14

Our Location

Beach Stove and Fireplace is located on Old Riverhead Road between Montauk Highway and Sunrise Highway. From Sunrise Highway take exit 63 south, travel 1.2 miles and turn right at the 381 complex (just north of Gabreski Airport)