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Steps for Lighting a Fire: Place kindling, newspaper, and logs on the fireplace grate. Open the damper. Open a window a few inches, to further help with the draft. Light a match and quickly blow it out, watching to see if the smoke goes up the chimney as it is supposed to.
How do you use a real wood fireplace?
Step-by-Step Directions on How To Use a Fireplace Put Safety First. Other steps in safety include: Open the Damper. Use Only Seasoned Firewood & Kindling. Build an Upside-Down Fire. Prime the Flue, If Necessary. Contact Burlington Fireplace & Solar.
How do wood fireplaces work?
How It Works. Before lighting a fire, the damper is opened to allow smoke and combustion gases to escape. Once the fire is lit, the extremely hot combustion gases begin to rise up the chimney by convection. At the same time, the fire is drawing air from the home for combustion.
How do you use a wood burning fireplace for the first time?
Ignite your first fire by using a long-handled lighter or matches to ignite the newspaper and kindling. Use a fireplace poker to stir the sticks as needed until the larger logs ignite. Do not leave a fire unattended. Ensure the fire is fully extinguished before leaving the house or retiring to bed for the night.
Do you need to open a window when using a fireplace?
Fireplaces should not be used as furnaces. Open a window when using the fireplace to prevent the room from becoming smoky. The air coming in from the window will go up the chimney. Before making a fire, open the glass doors, pull aside the screen curtains, and place the kindling, newspaper and logs inside.
Should you crack a window when having a fire?
Crack a Window and Open the Glass While in Use It helps eliminate any smoke filtering into the room. The cold air will go up the chimney so you won’t notice it is open anyway. Also, if your fireplace has a glass door, make sure you leave it open while the fire is burning.
Does a fireplace actually heat a room?
Fireplaces won’t be able to heat a room as well as a wood stove is able to, but you’ll still feel warmth sitting nearer to an open fire. Wood burning fireplaces aren’t known for their ability to generate large amounts of heat for a room.
How do you keep a fire going all night in a fireplace?
11 Ways To Keep A Fire Going In An Open Fireplace Ensure That The Damper Is Fully Open. Warm The Chimney. Maintain The Air Supply. Build The Fire Correctly. Only Burn Wood That Is Dry Enough. Burn Room Temperature Wood. Burn Hardwood Logs. Add A Couple of Logs At A Time.
Is a wood burning fireplace bad for your health?
Although the image of a log fire is often associated with the holidays, romance and cozy nights inside shielded from plummeting temperatures, experts say wood-burning appliances are a threat to lung and heart health. They emit harmful air pollutants and fine particles that can enter the lungs and bloodstream.
Does a fireplace make a house colder?
The standard fireplace is among the most inefficient heating devices you can operate. In fact, it can be so inefficient that in some cases it actually makes your house colder. And although many modern fireplaces use renewable fuel, they’re not considered completely “green,” because they can add to air pollution.
When should I close the damper on my fireplace?
The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. Close it when it’s not it use. Operating the fireplace with the damper partially closed will not generate more heat. Instead, blocking the passage through the flue will result in smoke entering the home.
Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a wood burning fireplace?
CO is one of several products from the combustion process. It’s also the most dangerous and deadly. The direct answer to the question above is: yes. Your gas, pellet or wood burning stove, insert or fireplace will produce carbon monoxide.
How many logs should I put in my fireplace?
Around 2 to 3 logs should be used when building a fire the conventional way, but more or less can be used depending on the size of you fireplace, the size of the fire you’re building and the size of the logs.
How do you ignite a fireplace?
Igniting with a Fireplace Key Look over the user manual included with your fireplace. Remove your fireplace’s outer cover. Put a fireplace key into the device’s gas valve knob. Hold a long lighter up to the burner and ignite it. Turn the gas key. Replace the fireplace’s outer cover immediately.
Can I use a fireplace without a grate?
You won’t typically need to have a grate in order to start a fire in an open fireplace. However, fireplace grates have always been popular because of the additional benefits they bring to starting and managing an open fire more effectively. A fireplace grate helps to lift the fire off the floor of the firebox.
Is it OK to leave the flue open overnight?
The smoke from burning wood contains carbon monoxide, so in order to prevent this toxic byproduct from entering your home, it is important to leave the flue open overnight. This enables a draft to carry the compound out into the atmosphere, instead of sinking down the chimney and saturating the room.
Do you need carbon monoxide detector for wood burning fireplace?
Carbon monoxide is a concern with any appliance where combustion is present especially wood burning stoves so installing carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home is highly recommended. It recommended that you have a carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home as well as in or near every bedroom.
Is it safe to sleep with a fire in the fireplace?
You should never go to sleep while a fire is in the fireplace. It may seem safe—after all, the fire is small and controlled behind a metal grate. Before going to bed, make sure the fire is completely extinguished.
Why does my fireplace not heat the room?
As the cooler air is sucked into the chimney, the heavier heated air rises to the top and is vented through the chimney along with smoke, soot and other contaminants. This continuous down draft flow of cold air is causing your home to be insufficiently heated.
How do I circulate my hot air from my fireplace?
If You Have a Fireplace or Wood-Burning or Pellet-Burning Furnace… First, if you also have forced air, turn the fan on to help circulate heat. Make sure your ceiling fans rotate clockwise so they pull cool air up off the floor and push warm air down. And also keep them running at their lowest speed.
How inefficient is a fireplace?
Despite their appearance of being all warm and cozy, fireplaces tend to be very inefficient for home heating. In fact, the energy efficiencies of fireplaces typically range from only 10% to a minus 10%.
