The Joy of Building

Many people enjoy having a wood-burning fireplace. Fireplaces can provide warmth during the cold winter month, enhance the appearance of a room, and create a comfortable ambiance. While there are many benefits to having a wood-burning fireplace in your home, they do require maintenance and care. Properly caring for your fireplace will help ensure that you can safely use it any time that you like. Use the following tips to keep your fireplace in good condition.

Keep Your Fireplace Clean

When you have a fireplace, it is essential to keep it clean. After burning wood, make sure that you give the embers ample time to cool down completely so you can safely clean the fireplace. Ideally, you should wait several hours after the fire burns out before you clean the fireplace. Before you begin cleaning out your fireplace, make sure that you put on a mask to protect yourself from the ash. Getting into the habit of cleaning your fireplace regularly will also help prevent having ash in the air.

Pay Attention to the Chimney

One of the most important aspects of caring for a fireplace in your home is paying attention to the chimney. When you burn wood in your fireplace, soot and creosote will build up over time. If too much soot and creosote build up, your fireplace and chimney can catch on fire. Before you begin using your fireplace for the season, it is in your best interest to hire a professional to clean your fireplace and chimney. If you use your fireplace on a daily basis, you may need to have the fireplace and chimney swept more than once during the coldest months of the year in order to ensure that your fireplace is safe to use.

Choose the Correct Wood to Burn

If you want to avoid issues with your fireplace, make sure that you burn the right wood. It is highly recommended to use hardwoods, such as oak or maple, that have been properly dried. Some of the top reasons to burn hardwoods include the fact that they put off more heat and also burn longer than softwoods, such as pine. In addition, less creosote is produced when hardwood is used, so you won't have to worry about creosote and soot building up quickly if you choose the correct wood to burn. 

To learn more about fireplaces and your options, visit a supplier today.