Taking Better Care Of Your Fireplace

Winter fires, especially during family gatherings and holidays, provide more comfort than just the flames. What about fireplace maintenance? Season after season, many feel neglected. At least once a year, take care of your fireplace, which brings warmth and cheer.

Why?

Proper fireplace maintenance ensures safety and efficiency. You can also check the chimney structure for wear and damage to prevent complications. Inspecting the chimney can help you decide if you need a chimney sweep or heating and cooling business to remove dangerous levels of combustible creosote, debris, or other buildup.

Grit

The Home Depot has a fantastic piece on deep-cleaning your fireplace. Gas, electric, and wood-burning fireplaces are covered. Later suggestions include:

• Prepare a deep-cleaning solution like WD-40 Specialist®Cleaner & Degreaser.
• Remove burnt wood, andirons, and fireplace grate.
• Broom up most of the ash and shop vac the rest.
• Scrub fireplace with hard bristles brush and cleaning solution.
• Glass doors require glass cleaner and paper towels (or learn how to clean fireplace glass with wood ash)
• Dish soap and water clean the andirons and tools, and metal polish if required.

Chimneys

Maintain your chimney. Creosote and other particles can accumulate and cause fires. Proactive chimney maintenance prevents dangerous chimney fires.

Firewood

Many 10-year-old boys think every burnable piece of wood should be burned. Burning hardwoods instead of pine reduces chimney soot. Dry, well-seasoned wood reduces smoke and soot. Buy cords of firewood with less than 20% moisture.

Burn unpainted, chemical-free wood scraps from DIY or construction projects. Pallet wood tainted with arsenic or methyl bromide should not be burned indoors.

Tips

• Clean your fireplace.
• Clean ash and coals.
• Clean fireplace glass doors or screens.
• Block embers and sparks with a fireplace screen.
• Fireplace dampers regulate airflow.
• Close the fireplace damper when not in use.
• Carry a fire extinguisher. Find and use it.
• Routine fireplace care ensures safety, prolongs chimney and fireplace materials, and creates a cozy, pleasant atmosphere. When you find a home maintenance method that works, add fireplaces and check in as the seasons change. Relax by the fire after a good job.