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Prepare Your Wood Burning Fireplace Ready for Fall

Summer is winding down, which means fall and cold weather is coming. Before the cold weather hits, make sure your wood-burning fireplace is ready to add warmth and comfort to your home. We recommend having any chimney maintenance done well before fall starts, to ensure you can have a reputable chimney sweep company tend to your fireplace but also to make sure it’s done right.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends having your chimney be swept at least once a year to remove all soot and debris. Once your chimney is swept for the colder months, you’re ready to enjoy a cozy fire at home.

Inspect The Exterior Of The Chimney

An experienced chimney sweep company will also check for cracks in the chimney structure, loose bricks, or missing mortar. Your chimney liner will also be looked at for signs of deterioration. It’s important to make sure there are no cracks or spalling on the chimney exterior because that can affect your fires and chimney overall.

Like Valley Chimney Sweep & Restoration, fireplace professionals will also ensure you have a chimney cap. These are necessary to prevent birds, squirrels, rain, and other debris and Earth elements from entering, and making a home in there. We’ll also check the damper in your fireplace to make sure there is no debris preventing it from operating properly.

Sweep The Chimney Interior

One of the most important things a trusted chimney sweep, like Valley Chimney, will check is creosote buildup. We’ll make sure creosote isn’t lingering in your chimney, and if it is, we’ll remove it right away. If the creosote is found in your chimney, it can become a thick coating of debris and affect the flue and chimney.

During a chimney inspection, we’ll also check to see if your fireplace damper is installed properly and working to seal your fireplace shut when it’s not in use.

Other Components To Have

Also, make sure you have the right wood. Your wood supply should be split and stored in a high and dry place for six months out of the year. We don’t recommend green woods like pine for wood-burning fireplaces because they can create a lot of creosote. It’s best to burn dense wood like oak in your fireplace.

Some homeowners like to still have a wood-burning fireplace because of the traditional look and feel of having a wood fire. It’s important though to have the right materials and safety measures in place before using the fireplace.

Another great way to ensure your wood-burning fireplace is ready for fall is to install glass doors. When there isn’t a fire roaring, you’ll want to keep the damper and fireplace doors closed, to prevent heat loss. While you have a fire going, we suggest keeping the doors open to ensure there is a proper amount of air for draft and combustion.

We also suggest using a fireplace insert, as it’s one of the best heating efficiency solutions and will increase the heating potential. If you install a fireplace insert in your masonry fireplace, you’ll want to make sure the chimney is lined correctly so the insert can fit right into the space.

Fall and winter are right around the corner, and it’s time to schedule your chimney sweep. Valley Chimney Sweep & Restoration can not only sweep your chimney but we can provide chimney repairs and more. Contact Valley Chimney Sweep & Restoration today to schedule your chimney sweep.

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