Garden safety hacks for chimenea lovers

Around 300,000 of us end up in A&E in the UK every year after having an accident in the garden for one reason or another. The lawnmower is the most deadly. Oddly, flowerpots come second, causing thousands of tumbles, cuts and lifting injuries. Add fire to a garden and there’s an extra layer of safety to think about. Luckily it’s common sense stuff. Here are some simple tips for garden safety, including special advice for chimenea lovers.

First, design the layout to minimise risks. People need space to move around your garden furniture without falling over it, and room to walk around your chimenea without falling into it or knocking it over. Tell people about any sticky-out bits or danger areas they need to avoid, something you get more of the smaller the garden is and the more crowded the space gets.

You could always use a couple of decorative indoor fire guards to surround your chimenea completely, reminder for people to stay a safe distance and making it impossible to touch, especially important when there are kids, drunk people and excited pets around. Or buy a special chimenea guard.

Always light a small fire inside a clay chimenea, especially important if the weather’s been a bit damp. The clay is porous. It sucks in moisture and if it gets too hot, too fast, the water expands and the clay cracks. Take it easy, let the chim do its fuel-efficient thing and the body, not just the fire inside it, will safely radiate out the heat you need.

You could design the garden so you won’t always be lifting and carrying for less chance of strains and injuries. Think raised beds. Buy lightweight modern garden furniture that looks weighty but is actually really easy to shift. Don’t lift garden furniture by yourself if it’s an awkward shape or size.

Fix trip hazards like loose paving. Don’t leave the gas hose from your BBQ or gas fire pit lying in the open for people to fall over. And keep lighters and matches away from small hands. It’s good to know you can buy anti-slip paint for outdoor areas. If there’s algae or mould on the stone, concrete or decking, scrub it off before inviting people round.

Garden tools are dangerous, sharp or not. Paddling pools soon go scummy when not in use, a nasty look as well disease-ridden. Some plants are poisonous, not good for kids and pets, so maybe remove them or somehow make sure nobody can get at them. Never use electric tools or anything else electric outdoors in the rain. You’d be surprised how many of these simple mistakes land people in hospital.

Burns are very painful. Chimenea-wise, let your chim cool down naturally. Throw cold water on it and it’ll literally explode with the heat shock. And, the same with a BBQ, don’t leave it unattended and lit. Leave any ash inside for 24 hours. That might sound a bit excessive but ash can look cold when it’s still hot. We know someone who decanted some ash into a plastic bucket, went to bed, and it burned the garden fence down overnight. Lesson… learned!

Unlike natural rattan vine, resin rattan furniture doesn’t easily unwind and never cracks or splits whatever the weather. So it’s a lot safer than the real deal, with no risk of splinters.

When environmental safety is important to you, protecting nature in every way you can, garden furniture made from sustainable wood might be your favourite choice.

Feeling safer already? Great. Now go forth and have an awesome time in the garden with a chimenea at the heart of it all. We wish you loads of safe fun without any falls, trips, burns, scrapes, scalds, vomiting, infections, breakages or anything else to ruin your alfresco occasion! 😉