While wood-burning and pellet stoves can be quaint and efficient, they can also be dangerous. To avoid injuries and damaged property, ask yourself these four questions, posed by QBE Regional Insurance Senior Vice President Charles Valinotti. He's seen many dangerous stove set-ups and the devastation that can result.

1. Was it installed by a professional?

Installing a stove isn't a do-it-yourself job. Work with a professional. If the stove was installed before you moved in, it's worth having it inspected. One tip-off is if it has more than two connector pipes, it's probably been tampered with, Valinotti warns.

Also, take the same precautions with your outdoor wood-burning stove or one in your garage or outbuilding as you would with one that's inside your home. A stove in your shed could cause as much damage as the one in your living room.

2. What's above, under and around your stove?

Don't find out after it's too late - like one Oregon homeowner did. He woke in the night to put another log in his stove - but didn't close the door all the way. As he snoozed on the couch, the kindling shifted and a log rolled out, igniting his carpet. While the man luckily escaped unharmed, his home was destroyed.

Make sure your floor is covered with non-combustible material all around your stove in case a log accidentally escapes. Similarly, keep all decorations and clutter away from the stove, so that a puff of ash or an errant spark doesn't set your magazine collection or lace doily aflame.

3. When was your stove last cleaned and by whom?

Your answer should be: It was cleaned within the last year by a professional.

"We ask this question of our General Casualty and Unigard policyholders, and I can't tell you how often they say it's been ages since the last cleaning or - just as bad - that they clean it themselves," says Valinotti.

He explains that you can sweep and tidy up your stove and the surrounding area, but a professional chimney sweep should clean it annually. Only professionals can spot and fix creosote buildup and hairline fractures, which are a major fire hazard and liability risk.

4. How do you dispose of your ashes?

An elderly woman in Washington recently swept ashes from her wood-burning stove into a plastic bucket and put it on her deck. Still smoldering, the ashes destroyed her home and belongings, totaling more than $400,000 in damage.

Make sure ashes are cooled, dampened with water and stored in a metal container with metal lid. "Never put ashes near or inside a paper bag, carton, box or anything combustible. I know it sounds obvious, but we see these very sad accidents more often than you would believe," Valinotti says.

Courtesy of ARAcontent