Wood burning Fireplace

[Terra112]

Hi, I am a new host and am hoping someone could help me by sharing their house rules and fire safety tips that they provide guests for a wood burning fireplace. The property is located in on a ski hill and so the wood burning fireplace is a draw for people to stay. I am just a little unsure where to find something that would give me peace of mind that I have a least covered everything that might be necessary to tell them. Thank you. 

[M199]

@Terra112 

Have you talked to your insurance company, assuming you have commercial business insurance.  Home Insurance DOES NOT cover renting your place unless you are home sharing and not absent. We flipped out our wood stove to a propane stove because most guests, especially from the city are not cognizant of the fire hazards and WHETT inspections.  Your liability claim can potentially be huge.  Not worth the risks.

[Terra112]

Yes thank you the insurance company does know we have a wood burning fireplace! Good point to think about though. 

[Sarah977]

@Terra112  The majority of people have no idea how to build a fire or use it safely. Even if you leave detailed instructions, they often won't read them. 

Their knowledge of fireplaces comes from movies, where it all looks so romantic and cozy. 

I've read quite a few posts from hosts whose guests filled the house with smoke because they had no idea that there was something called a flue that needed to be opened, even though that was explained in the house manual.

Guests and fire are a very risky mix.  

If it's just a studio apt. in your home, or a cabin on the property where you live, where you are close by to physically help them light a fire and on hand if something goes wrong, that's doable, but for an entire house with an off-site host it's not a good   idea.

[M199]

@Terra112 

@Sarah977is correct.  As another point, in Canada winters in Belleville, Ontario  are around (in March)  between -1 to -10.

[Sarah977]

@M199   The listing itself is actually in New York State, but still similar temps.

@Terra112  I don't quite understand your photo gallery. The house itself is lovely, but aside from sticking some beds in there, it looks like an unfurnished place. No living room furniture, no dining table or chairs? No bedside tables or lamps, no dressers? No curtains, no photos of the bathrooms. If you have furnished the place since you put up the photos, you need to redo your gallery.

[Terra112]

Yes we do have info that we are in the midst of a renovation but will repost pics soon - unfortunately with covid we have not been allowed across the order to change anything since we purchased it until the last month. 

[M199]

Not sure where I got Belleville.  Apologies.

[Sarah977]

@Terra112  The host's profile says they are from Belleville, but the listing itself is located in NY. 

[Sandra126]

I've  always has woodstoves, very few problems. But I have checked in every single guest personally and done a demo, also always lit it prior to guests arriving in cold season.  Told them if they had difficulty to ring me rather than fail, id mych rather light it for them than have rhe house  burnt  down. Only needed to help once. Provide a metal ash bucket or  they might use plastic bags. Make it easy, safe, and have a fire extinguisher on wall just in case. 14 years experience in total. 

[Terra112]

Thank you very much - we do have the fire extinguisher and will get a metal ash bucket. I appreciate the advice!

[Bill1387]

I’m a fairly new host in Maine with a lovely old wood stove in the kitchen which I do let guests use. I rent the whole house during the summer/early, fall season, and stay there myself and rent individual bedrooms during the winter and off-season.

I do use the fireplace at night during the off-season as it is very pleasant to watch and helps heat the house without using the central furnace or central propane, space heater, as much. However, recently, I had a problem with two separate guests who complained about which smoke smell in the house and cancelled 3 month stays, Compton Airbnb, so now I’m not sure what to do. Whether  to replace the fireplace entirely with a modern one, or a gas burning one, or stop using a fireplace. Anyone have similar problems? And how did you handle? I’ve stopped using it for now and aired at the house. Any suggestions on removing wood smoke smell? I’m hardly aware of it and it doesn’t bother me at all.