How To Care for Your Wood-Burning Fireplace

Caring for your fireplace properly will ensure you enjoy safe and cozy romantic nights and family gatherings. These are some ways you can keep your fireplace up to par and make a few improvements to its overall setup:

Have Someone Check Your Chimney

Having your chimney and fireplace regularly inspected by a professional can prevent fires and other hazards. The safest practice is to have someone perform these services for you at least once yearly. The inspector will check your fireplace and chimney for blockages, unit deterioration, and hazards. You will then receive a report and can decide which action to take to improve the situation. 

Keep Proper Clearance Between the Fireplace and Furniture

Another safety measure is to ensure that your furniture is far enough away from the fireplace to prevent a fire from occurring. The furniture should be at least three feet away from the fireplace to ensure that none of it gets hot enough to ignite when you burn fires. 

Exercise Smart Holiday Behaviors

Practices such as hanging stockings on the mantel or near the fireplace have been done and copied for years. It turns out that they aren’t the wisest things to do, as families have had incidents because of accidental combustion. Participate in your holiday celebrations safely by keeping flammable items away from the fireplace. Instead, you can improvise and come up with better ways to celebrate. 

Fix Gaps in the Bricks

Your bricks will develop gaps in between them over time because of the material’s constant contraction and expansion. You can improve the look of your fireplace by using a refractory caulk to close those spaces. Doing that will lessen the chance of fire penetrating the gaps and damaging parts of the home’s foundation. 

Purchase the Proper Fire Wood

Ensure that you invest in the appropriate firewood for your fires. The best wood selections come from seasoned logs that have dried for at least one year. Dry wood burns for much longer than wet wood that has been exposed to dampness and elements.

Furthermore, hardwoods like oak, maple, and birch will burn more slowly and give you a cleaner residue, making your cleanup efforts much less taxing. They’ll also get your fireplace hot enough to cozy your home effectively. In the end, you’ll save money by purchasing the most long-lasting wood products.  

Replace Your Screen as Needed

Consider changing your fireplace screen if you notice sparks or ashes making their way into your living room area. That problem often occurs when the screen wears, and you can quickly remedy it by investing in a new one. Alternatively, you might want to invest in a new screen to change your fireplace’s appearance. There’s nothing wrong with trying something different, even if you don’t need a new screen now. 

Knowing how to care for your wood-burning fireplace is the first step on the path of safety, home preservation, and wellness. Follow the quick tips above to ensure your family stays safe and gets the most out of your fireplace. 

Categorised in: Fireplace Services

This post was written by admin