Joseph Ochal, owner of Chimney Scientists in Conshohocken, knows a lot about fireplace safety, writes Michaelle Bond for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The chimney sweep founded his company in 2014 and has been keeping the region’s fireplaces clean and safe ever since.

He noted that one of the most important things homeowners need to do is clean or inspect their fireplaces annually. Homeowners should also get a camera inspection of their chimneys.

“Chimney cleanings are helpful to reduce soot buildup for a wood fireplace, but there can be holes and cracks inside the chimney where fire can escape into the chimney cavity and potentially drywall of the home,” he said.

Another important thing to do to properly maintain chimneys is to ensure that the wood being burned is dry.

“Wet wood turns into smoldering fires. And smoldering fires produce a lot of smoke,” he explained. “Smoke turns into creosote in the chimney, which is a flammable tar that can catch on fire.”

Homeowners can also prepare for possible fireplace emergencies by having a Chimfex on hand. The safety product is a chimney fire-extinguishing road flare that chemically removes the oxygen from a firebox and kills an out-of-control fire.

Read more fireplace safety recommendations from the Chimney Scientists in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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This video shows the effectiveness of Chimfex as a fireplace safety device.