Fireplace Maintenance: 5 Steps to Success

As dusk begins to settle in and there is a slightly fresh, crispness to the air, isn’t it wonderful to gather in your home around a crackling fire? This picture is idyllic, but to keep your fireplace in mint condition, you’ve got to engage in some ongoing maintenance. We’ve put together five easy to follow steps to keep your fireplace burning bright this season.

1 - Reduce the Smoke

Nothing can clear the family room like a smoky fire. There are some things that you can do to reduce that risk. To start, you can crack a window or two to let a little more oxygen into the room, which will help keep the fire under control.

Be mindful of where you store your wood. Dry wood burns the best (and produces less smoke). If you are storing your wood outside, cover it, or make sure it is off the ground to reduce moisture damage.

2 - Clean the Slate

If your fireplace is surrounded with slate (which many are), take time on a regular basis to vacuum and clean it. You can clean any debris with straight warm water, or you can use a small amount of a diluted cleaner. Let it dry completely before you polish it.

To get it gleaming, use a small amount of lemon oil on a rag. It will shine up as good as new.

3 - Think about a Cap

If you’ve already got a chimney cap, then you are already enjoying the benefits. If you don’t have one, consider getting one put in. The cap will keep debris (i.e. branches) from getting in, which can be dangerous as a fire is burning. It will also keep trespassers (i.e. animals) out, and prevent them from nesting inside.

4 - Call the Chimney Sweep

There are lots of benefits to calling the chimney sweep, even if you don’t use your fireplace often. From a safety point of view, getting the debris cleaned out can minimize the hazards of residue igniting while using your fireplace, causing your fire to rage out of control.

It can also assist with energy efficiency. Debris and residue in your chimney can slow down heat transfer, which limits ability if you are trying to derive more heat from your fire source.

5 - Don’t Forget the Firebox

At a minimum, clean the ash out of the firebox on a weekly basis. Too much ash is a fire hazard and can cause a huge mess in your home.

No matter the season, AAA Modern Air is a one-stop-shop for all of your cooling needs in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. For repairs, maintenance and installation call us at (954)-921-4486.