Getting Your Fireplace and Chimney Ready for Use

The anticipation of cozy fires in the fall is only natural but getting your chimney ready for use is a crucial first step in safety. Every year, thousands of families learn first-hand how hazardous it is to neglect chimney maintenance. The first fire of the season can result in a hazardous chimney fire that could spread to the home if the chimney hasn’t been cleaned or inspected. You can maximize the enjoyment of the fireplace by preparing it for use, too, and obtaining the right type of firewood.

Schedule a Chimney Inspection

Various chimney components are prone to deteriorate, and the result is costly moisture intrusion. With routine chimney inspections by qualified technicians, you will learn about early signs of damage that, typically, only chimney sweeps can recognize. As a result, you can make chimney repairs before the fix becomes a much more burdensome expense. 

The removal of obstructions from the chimney may be needed. An excessive buildup of creosote is a type of blockage that is particularly dangerous. Creosote is highly flammable and if it catches fire, the flames might be continually fed by the creosote buildup.

A damaged flue liner must be repaired or replaced before using the fireplace. Even if the liner has a small crack, it can expose your home to a sudden house fire and to life-threatening exposure to carbon monoxide. During a chimney inspection, a camera can be used to evaluate the condition of the flue from top to bottom. 

Spiff Up the Fireplace

If you didn’t already clean your fireplace during spring cleaning, that’s the next thing to do, after getting your chimney ready for use. Previous fires may have caused an accumulation of soot and ash in the fireplace. Prepare your fresh start by sweeping the ashes, though you can leave about an inch to insulate embers in the coming fires. If the interior walls are blackened with soot, don protective gear and give the fireplace a good scrubbing.

Gather Firewood

It’s important to burn only seasoned firewood in your fireplace. Be sure the wood has a moisture content between about 15% and, at most, 25%. Burning green wood not only creates an uncomfortable outpouring of smoky fumes in the fireplace, but it also leaves more creosote deposits inside the chimney liner. 

There are hardwoods and softwoods, and the most important thing is to be sure your firewood is seasoned. Experts say the best types of firewood to burn in your fireplace include red or white oak, American beech, white ash, sugar maple, hickory, and shagbark.

In addition to a stack of firewood outdoors, determine how you will store indoor logs. From crates to baskets to custom-built wall niches, there are many ways to store logs inside the home.  

Schedule a Chimney Inspection and Cleaning with Dubuque Fireplace & Patio 

At Dubuque Fireplace & Patio, we specialize in getting your chimney ready for use. Safety and peace of mind should be the first considerations before lighting your first fire in a new season. Our NFI-certified chimney sweeps have the training and experience to provide chimney services of the highest quality. At Dubuque Fireplace & Patio, we offer chimney cleaning, masonry repair, flue liner replacement, chimney cap installation, fireplace installation, and the full range of chimney maintenance services.

Call us at 563-582-5156 today or use our convenient online form.