It’s time to learn how to get your fireplace ready for the winter.
There’s nothing like cozying up to a warm, crackling fire during the wintertime. However, before you even start thinking about lighting a fire this season, there are a few things you need to consider.
Whether you have a gas, electric, or wood-burning fireplace, there are several things you should be doing to prepare your fireplace to run safely all winter long.
How to Get Your Wood Burning Fireplace Ready for Winter
- A professional should inspect your chimney at least once a year for any damage and make any necessary repairs. This is also a great time to get your chimney professionally cleaned and remove any blockages.
- Make sure the chimney cap is firmly in place and in good condition to keep any furry friends or pests from entering your chimney.
- Make sure your fireplace damper is working properly and that nothing is stopping it from opening and closing all of the way.
- Regularly clear out the ashes in your fireplace. You should try to do this weekly or whenever ash is at least an inch deep to ensure your fireplace is burning efficiently and cleanly.
- Stock up on good-quality firewood and store it away from the house in a dry space.
How to Get Your Gas or Electric Fireplace Ready for Winter
- Check to make sure that the pilot light is on and that none of the wires have been broken or frayed over the year.
- To avoid a potential fire or carbon monoxide risk in your home, regularly clean any debris or dust around your fireplace and vents.
- Do an inspection to check for cracks or damage on your log set, liners, and burners, just in case something needs to get replaced.
- Since your fireplace has been unlit for a few months, you always want to clean your log set of any build-up like dust that could have accumulated.
- Also, do an inspection of the glass on your fireplace insert for any cracks or chips.
A Few More Important Tips for Preparing Your Fireplace
- Inspect the fireplace gasket that many wood-burning and gas fireplaces have. This gasket keeps smoke and gas out of your home while keeping excessive amounts of oxygen from entering the fire.
- Keep everyone in your home safe by replacing the batteries on both your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms!
- Schedule yearly preventative maintenance with a professional to identify any problems you might not notice, like gas leaks or broken sensors. And if anything does need to get repaired, it’s best to work with a professional.
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Supreme has always been the best local company for all of your home comfort systems, and that includes fireplaces!
So if you’ve been dreaming about a warm fireplace in your home, have an older fireplace that needs repair, or want to convert your wood-burning to gas, give us a call!
