Fireplace Maintenance Tips To Remember

27 July 2010      

Regular cleaning of your fireplace is essential if it is to effective and safe. It doesn’t matter whether you have a wood-burning or gas-burning unit. Here at Fireplace Showcase we recommend getting your fireplace cleaned once a year. Our professional chimney sweepers will check all parts, including the chimney draw, fans, pilots, burners, ignition, combustion and vents. Actually, the chimney is one of the most important parts that need to be inspected because it can often become obstructed by nest-building animals such as birds and raccoons. A chimney cap can help prevent animals from nesting. A fireplace that is not properly maintained and cleaned can result in carbon monoxide buildup in your home, a dangerous and potentially deadly occurrence.

Keeping your fireplace up to date in its cleaning also keeps ashes from building up in a fireplace. However, ashes and small embers from a fire can remain hot for several days and should be removed very cautiously. Remember; never use a vacuum to remove ashes from a recently used fireplace because it could easily start a fire. It's also important to open the damper before removing ashes; with no air going up the chimney, any blown-back ash and dust will spill out onto the floor. If you have a gas fireplace, we recommend cleaning it about once a month with a bristle brush. Be sure to wait until the log has cooled completely before cleaning it.