Making the Most of the Wood Burning Fire Place

A wood burning fireplace can add an exceptional focal point and a lot of warmth to your home. Like all fireplaces however, there are some inherent dangers that must be handled. If your fireplace causes problems, do some fireplace troubleshooting to find out if you can resolve the problem before you call a technician.

The equipment you`ll need is a pair of good tin snips and some old paper bags.

1) Open the flue damper. If it`s not open, the flue won`t get enough air, usually resulting in an unpleasant, smoky house.

Now it is time to light a few pieces of paper and place them at the back of the fireplace, thereby warming the flue. If you see the smoke rise up the chimney, odds are the flue is hot enough. Now just keep the papers burning until the smoke flows up the now-warmed flue. Then it`s as simple as making your evening blaze. If this problem persists, try putting in an insulated fireplace liner.

You need to be sure all the HVAC system vents stay afloat. This is important, since the HVAC controls the relative air pressure. If you decrease it too much, smoke will start billowing from your chimney. Other appliances may have similar effects, like an attic fan, so be careful and check your whole house. If the situation persists, then try adding a secondary air source to the flue to maintain pressure.

The fourth step is to look at the flue for damage or blockage. Depending on whether or not something is there, you`ll need to clean it out before your next fire. You`ll also need to clean the spark mesh. If it always seems to be clogged, try to enlarge the openings slightly with the tin snips. Also, don`t be afraid to call in a chimney sweep if the soot and creosote is too high on the walls.

If the situation still persists, you are forced to contact a professional.

Posted in Home Improvement Post Date 04/01/2018