How to Prepare for the First Fire of the Season
Cold temperatures are here and you might be thinking about lighting your first fire in the fireplace. Before you grab a pile of wood and strike a match, we advise that you take time to prepare your chimney and even the wood. This can help prevent dangerous situations arising.
Step 1: Get Your Chimney Inspected
This is perhaps the most important step to preparing for the first fire this season. You want to opt for a professional chimney inspection, which includes the following:
- Looking for combustible deposits
- Signs of deteriorating brickwork
- Proper clearances to combustible materials
- Signs of water penetration
If any issues pop up during inspection, don’t delay on making repairs. With the relentless freeze and thaw cycle here in Boston, you might risk further damaging the structure of your chimney by pushing repairs to the backburner.
Now is also a wise time for your annual chimney sweep if you haven’t done it yet. A chimney sweep will remove any creosote buildup, which is a toxic by-product of burning fires. Creosote sticks to a chimney’s interior walls and can catch on fire.
Chimney sweeps also help ensure that there is no blockage from allowing smoke to escape through the chimney. Sticks, leaves, and other debris can block smoke which can send it right back inside your home. This typically happens when a critter such as a bird or even raccoons decide to nest inside your chimney.
Step 2: Be Wise About Wood
When it comes to lighting your first fire of the season, know that not all wood is created equal. While all wood will burn, it does not burn the same. Keep the following in mind when choosing your firewood for the fall and winter seasons:
Hardwood firewoods:
These woods provide a longer and hotter burn. They are cleaner woods since they don’t contain as much sap, but note that they are more expensive. Hardwood firewoods include maple, ash, birch, oak, and most fruit trees.
Softwood firewoods:
The cheapest option available, softwoods burn fast and leave fine ash. We do not recommend using these types of wood regularly.
Types of wood to always avoid burning: pressure-treated lumber, driftwood, compressed paper products such as hardboard, plywood, particleboard, painted or varnished wood.
Step 3: Keep Your Wood Dry
When you’re ready to burn your wood of choice, make sure it’s dry before lighting the batch. Burning wet or sap infused wood will result in less heat, more smoke and more creosote build-up.
It’s also not a good idea to burn wood that is freshly cut or “green”. You should allow wood to dry out for at least 6 months. Dry “seasoned” wood if lighter in weight and will make a hollow sound when hitting two pieces together.
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When a tree is freshly cut, the wood contains a lot of moisture – up to 45 percent, according to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). And it’s this moisture content that creates more smoke and creosote while also lowering the temperature of the fire. It’s like throwing water on the fire. You not only will need to burn more wood to keep the fire going, but it will also create a dirtier fireplace or wood stove with more creosote, soot, and ash.
When storing firewood, it should be stacked off the ground and in a dry, ventilated space, like a shed or garage. If you must store wood outside, cover it to prevent exposure to rain and pests, which can cause rotting.
The holiday season is in full swing. This is the perfect time to light up your gas fireplace! Sitting beside a glowing hearth is a relaxing way to end a long day spent rushing around in Connecticut’s chilly weather. When friends or family come over, they’ll be happy to gather around the fireplace to chat or play games. Before you ignite your fireplace this season, there are a few steps you should take to ensure it is safe.
Fireplace doors play an important role in protecting your home by stopping carbon monoxide and sparks from escaping. That’s why they should be able to close tightly. The glass on the doors shouldn’t have any flaws. A flaw in the glass, like a scratch, can weaken it and make it unable to safely endure the high heat of the fire.
When a fireplace runs efficiently every winter, it doesn’t happen by accident. A set of conditions work in harmony to ensure that fires burn hot and combustion byproducts exit through the chimney. All fireplaces and chimney systems need maintenance to keep those ideal conditions in place. The following tips can help to ensure that your fireplace runs efficiently this winter.
It’s impossible to have an efficient fireplace if you burn green wood. Fresh-cut firewood is packed with moisture, and burning it creates excessive smoke and leaves behind excess creosote in the flue. Firewood should be seasoned before burning it. To season firewood, let it dry out for 6 to 12 months. Wood piles should allow for airflow between pieces of wood. Sun should be able to get to the wood, though it also needs protection from the rain.
Gas fireplaces are popular for many reasons including beauty, ease of use, EPA-standard efficiency and great heating performance. To operate your gas fireplace safely, there are a few things you need to do on a regular basis. Here are some simple maintenance tips to get your fireplace ready for winter.
Pilot light inspection
The only thing better than a fireplace in the winter is an efficient fireplace in the winter. By following these six tips for max fireplace efficiency and safety, you’ll make a big difference in how much you enjoy your fireplace during the cold months.
Tip 3: maximum performance