There is nothing like a roaring fire to help warm a chilly night. Well, I have some hints to help keep your fireplace in tiptop shape!
1. Each and every year have your chimney checked by a professional to clean away excess creosote and clear any obstructions.
2. When you're cleaning out your fireplace spritz the ashes with water before scooping to keep dust to a minimum.
3. Leave behind a layer of ash under the grate. This will protect the floor of the firebox from excess heat and will catch coals so the fire will burn longer. Just remember embers burn for a long time so make sure that you wait a couple of days to remove the excess ashes.
4. When building a fire only use seasoned firewood and plain newspaper or white paper. Wad it up tightly or twist it into a small log shape. This is also a great way to recycle the paper from your home office. Remember never burn colored paper in your fireplace.
5. Sprinkle your logs with salt before lighting the fire it will help keep soot to a minimum.
6. Fires need oxygen to burn; poor air circulation can cause carbon monoxide build-up. So make sure that you leave the doors of your fireplace open slightly to give it plenty of air.
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