Keep your fireplace working properly and safely by using it correctly and having it expertly maintained on a regular basis.
Nowadays homes with fireplaces use them more as an attraction or cozy feature than for true heating service. If you don't have much experience with using indoor fireplaces, contact a chimney expert for help in learning how to burn a fire and maintain your hearth. Here are a few tips to keep in mind regarding your fireplace's use and maintenance.
1. Only burn safe substances in the fireplace. These include dry wood and wax-based artificial logs that can be purchased from the store. Do not throw in any kind of garbage or debris, or you might experience a nasty explosion or toxic fumes. Remember to open the flue to let smoke escape, and close it after the fire has burned out to keep animals like birds and bats from entering your home through the chimney.
2. Use your hearth tools correctly. Remove ashes after each use. Use a small broom or shovel and dustpan to scrape dust and cinders as well as unconsumed residue from the hearth. This prevents a buildup and potential mess if the debris is allowed to accumulate over time. Use a fire screen when the fire is burning to prevent popping cinders from landing on the carpet or nearby object and causing burn damage. Use a poker, a long, metal instrument, to sort flaming logs or restore life to dying embers.
3. Inspect your hearth and chimney each year. Actually, you will probably need to hire a professional for this job. Using proper lighting and tools, the stonemason or chimney sweep will examine the interior and exterior fireplace fixtures to be sure nothing is cracked or damaged. If there is a problem, he or she can provide an estimate for having it fixed. You don't want birds to build nests in your chimney, for example, or bats to take up residence in crevices between the bricks.
4. Have the chimney professionally cleaned every year or two. The aforementioned chimney sweep has the appropriate tools for cleaning soot buildup, called creosote, from the inside of your chimney. Letting this continue to build up can lead to a backup of combustion residue that can produce carbon monoxide. Soot also can flake off and fall into the hearth, eventually settling in other parts of the house. Keep your chimney clean and in good repair for maximum benefits and minimum problems.
5. Use a carbon monoxide detector. Follow directions and post it about six feet off the ground somewhere near the fireplace. The monitor can detect levels of deadly carbon monoxide, a naturally occurring gas that comes from oxidation. Odorless and colorless, the gas is lethal if undetected. Also, never leave a fireplace unattended while it is still burning. When it goes out, close the doors (if your hearth has any) or poke the cinders to be sure no embers remain that could spark and start a fire while you sleep.
A fireplace provides a cozy reminder of primal eras when everyone gathered around a blaze for heat, light, and food. Enjoy your fire but handle it safely to ensure that no one gets hurt.
