Fall Fixes: Get Your Fireplace Cold-Weather Ready

Spending a crisp, autumn evening spent in front of a roaring fire is just one of life’s great delights. And nothing could ruin it quicker than a mechanical injury. Here to keep that from happening is Tom Parks of COASTROAD Hearth & Patio at Shallotte, North Carolina. Parks, certified by the National Fireplace Institute along with also a self-described”fireplace nerd,” provides us a notion of things to triple-check before starting up your fireplace to your holiday season.

Give a chimney a checkup using his tips under, or schedule a service call with a certified fireplace technician. If you think something may not be appropriate along with your fireplace, possess a professional technician come in to look at it it’s better to be safe than sorry.

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Basics: If there’s glass on front of your fireplace, then you’re likely going to have to clean it at least once a year. Parks suggests cleaning with a water-and-vinegar combination or a technical fireplace cleaning solution (prevent cleaners containing ammonia). If the glass is collecting soot, your fireplace should be adjusted to burn cleanly.

If your chimney has louvers or grilles on the front, it’s intended to circulate air around the combustion region. This implies that anything is in the air near the fireplace — such as dust, pet hair, what-have-you — will be dragged into that place. Clean this area frequently to maintain the fan working and to prevent dust from collecting. Parks advocates a shop vacuum or even a hose extension on a normal vacuum to get the job finished.

COASTROAD Hearth & Patio

Wood fireplaces: If you are using your wood-burning fireplace many times, you’ll need your chimney swept out roughly once per year. Employ a professional; you may find a certified chimney specialist at the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

COASTROAD Hearth & Patio

Gas fireplaces: For gas stoves with a standing pilot light (one that is on all the time), ensure that your pilot has been serviced regularly. Fireplaces with no pilot light, or that are on just while something is burning, may be serviced less often.

“All unvented gas fireplaces and gas logs built in the last two decades have had an Oxygen Depletion Sensor pilot,” says Parks. “This should be cleaned every year to keep the machine from getting more sensitive and inducing bothersome shutdowns.” A can of compressed air may be used to clean out the pilot orifice (the opening where the gas comes out). In case your machine is 5 or more years old, then you may have to call a specialist.

Mark English Architects, AIA

Electric fireplaces: There’s usually not a great deal of maintenance involved in electrical fireplaces, but if you would like to decrease the likelihood of your fire going out in the middle of a celebration, Parks indicates replacing your light bulbs before the holiday season gets underway.

COASTROAD Hearth & Patio

More resources: when you have questions about how to look after your chimney, you may download operations manuals for current models from most manufacturers’ web sites. If your operations manual is not available online, you can contact a trader through the company’s site; they should be able to assist you. You could also find a fireplace specialist through the National Fireplace Institute.

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