Best Practices for Lighting a Fire
When lighting a fire in the fireplace during the holidays, it is important to get the fire going as quickly as possible to avoid any potential misunderstandings. We won’t keep you waiting any longer; we’ll get you started on roasting chestnuts right now!
Clear Away the Smoke and Ashes
Before beginning to stack wood for your first fireplace fire, it is imperative that any and all ashes be removed from the firebox. This is a necessary step in the process of learning how to properly use a fireplace. You may easily dispose of the cool ashes by sweeping or vacuuming them up and taking them outdoors. On the other hand, you should probably keep some ashes around so that you can start a fire in your fireplace. Be careful that coals may maintain their heat for up to three days, which makes them a potential source of ignition for combustible items if they come into touch with those materials. Be careful to keep a fire extinguisher available at all times, and be sure to keep track of when it was last serviced.
Choosing the Right Wood for Your Fireplace
Choose thick wood such as oak. The wood should be cut into smaller pieces and then kept for at least half a year in a dry, elevated area. Because they tend to create more creosote, green woods like pine are not advised for use in fireplaces that burn wood because of this fact.
Make sure the fireplace’s damper is open.
The damper is a plate that can be moved and is located above the fireplace and in front of the chimney. Check to see that the fireplace damper is operating as it should. It is imperative that there is no debris blocking the opening and closing mechanisms. This is an essential stage in acquiring the knowledge necessary to operate a fireplace.
Get the Fire Started
By priming the chimney, you may prevent smoke from seeping into your house. You may accomplish this by lighting a roll of newspaper on fire and then putting it up to the damper for a few minutes so that it can get heated.
Construct Balls Out of the Newspapers.
After you have opened the damper and examined it, you will need to crumple up some newspaper into balls and lay them beneath the grate.
Add Some Kindling
After you have started the fire using the newspaper, add some kindling to the bottom of the grate so that it may continue burning. There are two different ways to arrange the kindling: lengthwise or in a crisscross manner. The fire in your fireplace will be easier to start if you use tinder, which consists of dry, thin pieces of wood.
Put the Logs in Order.
The question of how to arrange the logs continues to be a contentious one. Some individuals prefer to use the tried-and-true triangle method, whereas others have opted for a somewhat more involved strategy that involves positioning two logs at either end of the grate and then stacking two logs perpendicular to those base logs on top, similar to the construction of a log cabin. Some people believe that stacking the logs in an inverted fashion is the most effective strategy. There is no need to go overboard with the engineering on this project.
All these reminders are best practiced when you are also assured of having a reliable company at your side. Contact Local Chimney Sweep Cleaning today for Chimney Cleaning Rail Road Flatand repairing.