There is nothing more romantic and cozy than sitting by a fireplace with your family during winters. While fireplaces are incredibly stunning and soothing, they can also be really dangerous, especially ones that haven’t been cleaned or used in a while. So if you want to start up your dormant fireplace, here are some precautions you must take.
Get Your Chimney Checked Out
Your fireplace safety naturally begins from your chimney. Before starting any fires, check if your chimney is structurally sound, especially if you haven’t used it in a while. Choose a reputable and trustworthy chimney sweep to get it to check out, particularly if you plan to use the fireplace all winter.
Clean Your Chimney
As the fire burns, the chimney is coated with smoke and ask and over time, it can build up to form something called creosote. Creosote is a buildup that resembles tar, is highly flammable, and is one of the most common reasons for chimney fires. Hire a professional that will check and clean creosote and any other buildup from your chimney.
Typically this process is done using a special chimney cleaning brush. After the chimney sweep is done with the chimney, they will move on to cleaning the flue, damper, smoke chamber, and firebox. This will ensure that your chimney is free of any and all debris, dirt, and smoke.
Get It Fixed!
Please get your chimney fixed even if it has any minor flaw before starting it up. It is essential that your chimney be free of any holes and cracks because if there are cracks, then your fire can get to the inner walls and cause a house fire. Always prioritize the safety of you, your family, and your house because even though that crack might not look like a big problem now, it can quickly turn into one if not taken care of.
Don’t Use Liquid Starters
Avoid using liquid starters to get your fireplace started. Stick to using wood and newspaper, especially if you haven’t cleaned your chimney in a while.
You should also think about what wood you would like to use. Softwood logs are high in moisture, and you can buy them cheap, but they are some with a major drawback. Burring them will build up creosote and soot faster than hardwood logs, and this can quickly cause a fire.
Hardwood logs, on the other hand, get treated with chemicals that lower their moisture, and using these will slow down the buildup of soot. So choosing between them comes down to the price and what you want out of your fireplace.
If you are looking for a trustworthy and reputable chimney sweep, chimney repair services, and chimney cleaning services in Connecticut, then Creative Masonry & Chimney LLC is here for you! Our trained professional workers will do their absolute most to leave you satisfied.
What are you waiting for? Contact us now!
