Prepare Your Fireplace for Winter

With colder weather making its way across our region, many homeowners are anxious to start using their fireplaces. However, there are a few things you need to do to properly prepare your fireplace for winter. These are tips we share with all of our Dubuque Fireplace and Patio customers, and ones that will ensure your family stays safe all season long.

Start by cleaning your hearth

As you burn wood throughout the year, it naturally turns to ash. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to leave the ash from their last fire in their hearth when lighting the next one. However, you don’t want to let this pile up forever. If there is still leftover ash from this past winter or spring on your hearth or firebox floor, clean it up. As you prepare your fireplace for winter, you’ll want to also wipe down the walls within your firebox. A clean hearth is the first step in this process.

Then, complete (or schedule) an inspection

The second step is to perform an inspection of your chimney. Take a look outside, looking for any signs of water damage, broken pieces (such as on your crown or masonry), and a missing cap.

Any signs of damage could indicate that there’s a bigger problem with your fireplace system. It’s probably a good idea to schedule a professional inspection to look for these and more signs of problems. During this time, they can also clean out any creosote from your flue walls, a process most homeowners cannot complete on their own.

Install or replace broken components

Once you’ve identified the problem areas — let’s focus on your cap, for example — it’s time to replace them. A chimney cap is your first line of defense against blockages. If it’s missing, animals, leaves, and other debris can clog your flue and lead to blockage and/or even house fires. Your damper is also an important physical component. During an inspection, your technician will test it to ensure it works properly. If not, you’ll need to replace it before lighting your first fire for the season.

And finally, if you have a gas-powered fireplace…

…don’t forget to test and inspect your blower. While you won’t need to deal with many of the wood-burning processes above if you have a gas-burning fireplace, your blower is one of the more critical components to prepare your fireplace for winter. Take a few moments to ensure that it’s clean and that there isn’t any buildup on the components that would prevent it from working properly.

Now is the time to prepare your fireplace for winter

If you’re eager to start using your fireplace on our cold Iowa nights, then now is the time to take the necessary steps to prepare your fireplace for winter. You want your firebox, chimney, and related components to be in peak working condition so that your family can enjoy your fireplace this season.

Do you still need to schedule an inspection for this winter? Then let us know. You can call the team at Dubuque Fireplace & Patio at 563-582-5156 or contact us online.