Although most animals are naturally deterred by flames, fireplaces still pose a potential threat to household pets. While a fireplace is a rustic and inviting addition to a home, keeping pets safe while enjoying a fire is a serious concern.

Traditional Fireplaces – Open Fireplaces

One of the most important safety points to remember when using a fireplace around animals is to use a screen to keep animals separated from the flame. Make sure that this screen cannot be knocked down or jumped over by pets that are large or agile. Cats can jump over screens that are open at the top. Choose a heavy, enclosed screen to keep pets away from the flame and protect pets from any sparks that may escape. Glass fire doors may also be used to keep pets and family members safe.

Place pet beds at a safe distance away from the fireplace to discourage basking too close to the flame. Never leave a pet in the same room as a lit fireplace without having someone present in case of an emergency.

New Fireplaces & Inserts – Natural Gas, Pellet, Wood.

The new style of Fireplaces you would find in any of our three Fireplace Showrooms located in San Rafael, San Mateo, and Concord, are all fully enclosed so there are no chances of pets exposed to open flames.  The front glass area can get hot, depending on the setting of the flame, so a good fireplace screen may also be an option to keep the pets away from the fireplace.

Electric Fireplaces

A safer alternative to traditional fireplaces for pet owners is an electric fireplace. A safety benefit of using an electric fireplace is that it does not let off as much heat as a traditional fireplace. This can prevent pets from suffering burns when getting too close. It can also be turned off automatically in case of an emergency.

Anyone shopping for a fireplace in San Francisco or the surrounding bay area can trust the experienced professionals at Creative Energy. Creative Energy has decades of experience serving the San Francisco area and offers a full line of freestanding fireplaces, inserts to improve the look and safety of an existing fireplace and electric fireplaces.