Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
In many places, winter is synonymous with a roaring fire in the fireplace. Having a well-maintained and well-stocked hearth is key to a season’s worth of enjoyment but that cozy fire requires more than firewood for a safe and enjoyable experience.
One of the first things consumers should consider before lighting their first fire is having their chimney cleaned and inspected. House fires involving fireplaces hit their high during the winter months, and according to the National Fire Protection Association around 30 percent of home heating fires can be attributed to heating equipment such as chimneys and a failure to clean such equipment. The best practice for mitigating such dangers is to have a certified chimney sweep clean and inspect the chimney annually, as well as the use of products like the Creosote Sweeping Log that can help reduce buildup between cleanings.
Beyond basic maintenance, there are many products that can increase consumer enjoyment of hearths in wintertime, such as:
- Log and fireplace tool holders, like those by Pleasant Hearth can keep necessary items such as pokers and kindling conveniently at hand.
- Fireplace screens featuring team logos from Imperial International.
- Fireplace Matches, such as the Be Made Mercantile Vintage Apothecary Matches that come in a variety of colors.
- Kindling splitters, like the Kindle Quick by Kabin Tool, that help users create a stack of kindling in minutes and can pull double-duty as a carrier for split wood. Kindle Quick was awarded a Retailers’ Choice Award by Hardware Retailing magazine in 2020.
