Even though everyone enjoys having a fireplace in the winter, most people find it difficult to start one. Although a wood-burning fireplace has the best aesthetics, there are a few things to know before you can enjoy the crackling fires that warm your house. The following is simple advice on how to use a wood fireplace.

Put Safety First

Because homeowners didn’t check their chimneys for obstructions before using their fireplaces, thousands of house fires happen each year. Creosote is the most typical chimney obstruction, and it needs to be cleaned out every year, or even more frequently depending on how frequently the wood-burning fireplace is used. Usually, when inspecting chimneys, obstructions are found. No matter what fuel is used in the fireplace, all reputable fire safety organizations concur that it is imperative to have an annual chimney inspection.

Other Safety Measures :

• As advised by experts, make sure your smoke detectors are installed on each floor, outside of each bedroom, and anywhere else they should be.
• Verify the functionality of your carbon monoxide detectors on a regular basis.
• Maintain a working fire extinguisher in a space close to the fireplace.
• Keep flammable items at least three feet away from the fireplace.
• Use a fireplace screen to shield your home from falling embers and rolling burning logs into the space.

Open The Damper

The smoke and poisonous fumes that the fire generates will billow into your home if you start a fire without first opening the damper. Completely release the damper. Use the fireplace only after it has been inspected by a licensed chimney sweep and repaired or replaced as necessary if there appears to be a problem and the damper isn’t opening as it should.

Use Only Seasoned Firewood & Kindling

Greenwood should never be used in a fireplace. Firewood is dripping with moisture when it is first cut. A fire made of green wood is very smoky and expends almost all of its energy extinguishing the moisture. Additionally, this kind of firewood produces more creosote, which raises the risk of a chimney fire. The likelihood that a spark or ember will ignite the creosote in your chimney and cause a chimney fire increases as the number of flammable creosote increases. Many people are unaware of how hazardous chimney fires can be. They cause extremely dangerous house fires because they burn with such high heat and frequently destroy chimney liners, exposing combustible elements of the house.

Build An Upside-down Fire

Each person can choose their preferred method from among the various ways to build a fire. Building a fire with large logs stacked on the bottom of the fire grate is one simple type of fire to construct. Large kindling is placed next, followed by medium and small kindling. Place the tinder right at the top. This may consist of small twigs, dryer lint, or rolled-up balls of newspaper. When the tinder is lit, your fire will start to burn for a while before you need to add more logs.

Clean Out The Ashes

Making sure all ashes are removed from the firebox before you begin stacking wood for the first fireplace fire is another crucial component of understanding how to use a fireplace.

The cold ashes can be easily swept or vacuumed up and thrown outside. However, you might want to keep a few ashes close by so you can start a fire in your fireplace.

Be mindful that coals can retain their heat for up to three days, which can cause a fire hazard if they come into contact with flammable substances. It’s one of several crucial measures you can take to prevent home fires.