Table of Contents
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 you use an indoor fireplace?
Light the top of the stack with a single match. The fire should travel down, igniting the pieces underneath without prompting. Let the fire burn for as long as you’d like. Don’t close the damper until the fire is completely out and all the embers have stopped burning.
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.
Do you keep fireplace doors open or closed?
Your fireplace doors and damper should be open before you light the fire. As your fire is burning, leave the glass doors open to ensure that the fire has enough air for complete combustion, which keeps creosote tar out of your chimney.
Do you close the glass doors on a fireplace?
The doors should always be fully open or fully closed. Glass doors should be fully open when starting a fire and when the fire is burning strongly. The glass doors should be closed as the fire dies down to minimize the amount of room air going up the fireplace chimney.
Whats a damper on a fireplace?
A chimney damper prevents conditioned (warmed or cooled) house air from escaping through the flue when you’re not using the fireplace. You need to open the damper when you start a fire to allow for proper airflow and let the smoke out.
Do you need a fireplace grate?
What is this? 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.
What can I burn in my fireplace?
When it comes to what you burn, choose only clean, seasoned wood, and only non-glossy white paper. Burning garbage, plastic, plywood, particleboard, glossy paper, colored paper, painted wood, or treated wood can all release fumes into your home. Finally, consider moving away from a wood-based heater.
Can you get carbon monoxide from a fireplace?
Yes, gas fireplaces are one potential cause of carbon monoxide poisoning. An improperly maintained or ventilated gas fireplace can create incomplete combustion, creating carbon monoxide, and causing this toxic gas to linger—putting those inside at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Can you pour water on a fireplace?
It is important to note that you should avoid using water as a method to put out a fire. Doing so can cause an outburst of smoke and it can also lead to steam burns. Water should only be used as a way to extinguish a fire in a fireplace in an emergency situation where there is nothing else available.
Can you go to bed 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.
What is the purpose of glass doors on a fireplace?
Glass fireplace doors greatly reduce the chances of sparks or logs tumbling out of the fireplace which can damage tile or wood flooring, destroy carpeting, melt linoleum or even worse roll right into someone standing next to the fireplace.
Does a fireplace make your 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 my fireplace flue?
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.
How do I make my fireplace hotter?
Turn Up the Heat: Tips to Follow Install a Fireplace Insert. Use Glass Doors. Use a Chimney Damper. Get Chimney Fans. Only Burn Dried Firewood. Use Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors. Keep Combustible Materials Away from the Fireplace. Clean Your Fireplace Regularly.
Why does smoke come out of my fireplace?
One of the most common causes of a fireplace smoking back into the home is due to poor quality firewood. Damp firewood produces more smoke than a flue can handle and will cause back-puffing. On the other hand, firewood that’s too dry and old can also cause problems with smoke blowing back into your home.
How do you put out a fire in a fireplace before bed?
Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is an ingredient in many class C fire extinguishers that will completely extinguish any stray embers. Additionally, once you’ve waited at least a few hours but preferably overnight, scoop up all the ashes and place them in a metal ash container.
