How to Build a Warm and Safe Fireplace Fire

Do you want to give your HVAC in Oklahoma City, OK a little break this winter? Then use your fireplace! Here are some tips for building a long-lasting warm—and safe—fireplace fire.

Clean and inspect your chimney

A good rule of thumb is to clean your chimney before the start of winter, regardless of whether you plan to use your fireplace or not. This removes fireplace wood ash, outdoor debris, bird nests and creosote buildup. All of this can block airflow between the fire and smokestack. Creosote, created by burning wood, is a tar-like buildup found on the inside walls of chimneys that can cause fires.

Always open the damper

You must open the damper before lighting a fire. Otherwise, your home will fill with smoke. Chances are, you haven’t used your fireplace in months, so the damper lever is probably sticky. Before the start of the winter season, have the damper inspected and cleaned. This can be done during a professional chimney cleaning appointment.

Have fireplace supplies ready

Starting a nice fireplace fire may not seem like a difficult task, but having all the supplies you’ll need nearby can make things a whole lot easier. Place supplies within arm’s reach, including fireplace wood, kindling, chemical-free newspaper or other paper, long matches and a fireplace tool set. Put the fireplace grate and screen in place.

Stack logs the right way

If you want to build a warm fireplace fire that’ll last well into the night, know that randomly tossing a pile of logs together in the fireplace is not going to cut it. The simplest way to build a fire is by using the upside down method. To do this, take your largest logs and line them across the fireplace grate, then add a layer or two of smaller logs. Make sure each layer is perpendicular to the layer below and that the logs get smaller going upward. Top it off with a pile of kindling (small twigs) and wads of newspaper.

Light the stack

Use a long match or lighter to light the top layer of kindling and newspaper. Put the screen in front of the fireplace opening and watch your upside down stack burn from the top down. This pyramid style lets hot embers drop down on top of the larger logs and allows oxygen to flow through, ultimately generating a lot of heat.

Extinguish the fire

Place your hands over the ashes of a fire that goes out on its own to make sure it’s cool. Never leave a fireplace fire unattended. If you won’t be nearby to let it go out on its own, use the fireplace tools to carefully scatter the embers and extinguish the fire. Stir hot ash slowly and use it to cover glowing logs. Move things along by sprinkling baking soda over the embers.

Don’t leave a fire going while your sleep. Instead, use your heater on cold nights. Call the team at Dailey Heating & Air Conditioning to service your HVAC in Oklahoma City, OK this winter!

Categorised in: HVAC

This post was written by Writer