Have a Hearth! Valentine’s Day Decorations for your Mantel

If you have a fireplace, then you know that spending Valentine’s Day with your significant other in front of a roaring fire is second to none. You can make your date even more festive by decorating your mantel for Valentine’s Day, adding a special touch. Yes, the window to celebrate Valentine’s Day is fleeting, but during that time, decorations on your hearth will bring a little joy to everyone who sees them. Here are a few Valentine’s Day decorating tips to make your mantle ready for the special day.

Choose Decorations that Fit the Colors of the Room

Let’s begin by looking at the colors in the room where your fireplace is located. Traditional Valentine’s Day colors like pinks, reds, and whites are a can’t-miss way to decorate, but they need not be the focus of the room. If the decor leans neutral, add a hint of these colors with accents rather than altering everything. For instance, a few coral-pink flowers or gold candleholders can add a holiday feel to the mantle without clashing with the room.

Don’t Put a Strain on Your Wallet

Valentine’s Day isn’t a whole season like Christmas or Halloween. Don’t overspend on decorating your fireplace mantle. Valentine’s Day decorations can often be sourced from places like a big-box store or an arts-and-crafts outlet. Using a small, inexpensive chalkboard to write a personal handwritten message will usually draw a smile from loved ones. How about a Valentine’s Day Tree? Painting branches that have fallen off a tree to hang homemade paper ornaments. All it takes is spray paint and colored paper.

Getting Your Fireplace Ready for Valentine’s Day

Having your chimney swept isn’t just about family gatherings. It should be cleaned and inspected at least annually; if you use your fireplace frequently, then every six months is a good rule of thumb. If your chimney isn’t cleaned at least annually, the logs that burn in your fireplace will emit a tacky, highly flammable residue known as creosote that will coat the interior of your chimney. Gradually, the creosote will thicken and, sooner or later, will cause a chimney fire. Hiring an experienced, qualified chimney sweep can help prevent chimney fires.

Don’t Ignore Safety

Be sure not to decorate with anything that could hang over the mantel and catch fire. Avoid any decorations that are flammable, such as paper streamers, paper lanterns, or cardboard cutouts. If you have a Valentine’s Day tree on your mantle, make sure that it is well away from the flames. Have a fire extinguisher nearby, so you won’t have to worry about embers jumping from the fire and catching a rug or piece of furniture. Using a screen in front of your fireplace is a great way to keep embers from escaping.

Only use wood like oak or hickory in your fireplace; they are sustainable and won’t poison you. If you burn treated or painted wood in your fireplace, you may flood the room with toxic fumes that can cause illness or even prove fatal.

Another practice you should follow is to place a carbon monoxide and smoke detector about 15 feet from the fire in the room, so you and your loved ones are safe from dangerous fumes.

Let Burlington Fireplace Prepare Your Chimney for Valentine’s Day and the Rest of the Year

If you want to ensure your fireplace has been inspected, is free of creosote buildup, and is operating at optimal levels, contact us now. One of our chimney experts will be happy to discuss scheduling a crew of our trained and experienced chimney sweeps to visit your home. Don’t put off having your fireplace cleaned and inspected until Valentine’s Day, only to find it has a problem; get in touch today!