Basic Care and Fireplace Safety: How to Keep it Working Properly

Fireplaces are a central appliance in any room due to the warmth and comfort that they add to any room. Naturally you will want to keep it working well, so you need to be sure that you clean and maintain it properly.

A fireplace needs to be cleaned up to be sure that it is safe as well as effective for it's intended purpose, that is to heat the room and to enhance it with a lovely warm glow. The soot that builds up in a chimney flue needs to be cleaned out professionally each year if your fireplace is used regularly throughout the winter to keep it hazard free, in addition to regular cleaning of it yourself.

A chimney should be inspected each year during the professional cleaning to insure that there is no damage or obstruction inside of it, as you never know when a small animal, birds nests, tree branches or birds might get into your chimney and end up being unable to get out. Anything that is left in there could build up and become combustible and a danger to your home and those in it. Any areas that are close to and around the fireplace as well should be kept free from debris for safety purposes, as you would not want something to catch on fire by a jumping spark.

During it's inspection, your fireplace also needs to be checked to make sure that there are effective protective linings as well as smoke ducts and that the chimney at all times remains in good condition.

Here are some tips to clean and maintain your fireplace:

In order to keep the fireplace shiny, I take an old toothbrush and a touch of Worcestershire sauce. Scrub with the toothbrush on any brass or metal part. It will shine it up and keep it that way. Just wipe gently with a soft cotton cloth after you finish scrubbing.

The fireplace doors are there for the purpose of venting. Be sure the vents stay opened and unclogged at all times when using your fireplace.

Always keep the screen of the fireplace shut when you are burning wood in order to keep any sparks or embers from getting out and onto the floor or carpet, once again possibly starting a fire.

If you are burning wood in your fireplace, never ever under any circumstance should you leave it even for a moment unattended. If you have dogs or children, be sure that you do not leave them in the room with a burning fire without a responsible adult to supervise them.

There are caps for chimneys that will cover the opening in a way that will keep birds from building nests and will help to keep things from getting into your chimney and causing an obstruction.

Clean out the firebox at least one time every two weeks to keep soot from thickening. Please note that you must never use a vacuum cleaning when you are cleaning out your fireplace!

The above are some of the things that I do in order to keep our fireplace safe and working properly at it's best. It is best to keep your fireplace clean and safe for the sake of your home and your family.