Fireplace Maintenance

Professional chimney sweep Jack Pixley explains ways to care for and maintain a fireplace.

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Fireplaces should not be used as furnaces.
Use the fireplace for a short-duration fire — no longer than five hours. Keep the glass open to allow air to be drawn up to cool the chimney. Keep the screen drawn closed to prevent sparks from jumping out onto the carpeting.
It is recommended to never leave a fire unattended when children are around. Adults, even if near, should not allow children to play near or with fire tools and equipment.
Open a window when using the fireplace to prevent the room from getting smoky. The air coming in from the window will go up the chimney.

A proper fire should be made using the following steps: open the glass doors, pull aside the screen curtains, and place the kindling, newspaper and logs inside. Next, open the damper and a window. The window only needs to be open a few inches. You can check to make sure the smoke will go up the chimney properly by lighting a match, then quickly blowing it out and watching the smoke to make sure the smoke is going up and out.

Keep a nonflammable rug (available at fireplace-supply stores) in front of the fireplace so that sparks won't melt or damage your carpeting. The best way to handle burning logs in the fireplace is to use the fireplace tools. Never use your hands.

Use a chimney cap to prevent water damage, animals from nesting, and debris from blocking the chimney and causing carbon monoxide to flow into the house. Use a spark arrester to help prevent sparks from flying out, which could potentially start a fire on the roof or grass outside.

Glass doors may produce tough stains from flames and heat. The best way to clean them is to first make sure that the glass doors are cool, then scrape off any thick gunk deposits with a razor blade. Combine one squirt of liquid dishwashing detergent in a bucket of warm water or one cup of vinegar per gallon of water. Spray or sponge the cleaner on, then wipe it away with newspaper (which is lint-free). Another option is to buy glass cleaner at a fireplace store.

Fireplace coals can remain hot enough to start a fire up to three days after you've burned the fire, so always wait at least three days before trying to remove the ashes. At that point, open the damper so that the airborne ash will be drawn up the chimney instead of out into the room. Be sure to wear a dust mask and open a window in the same room as the fireplace to prevent negative air pressure. Use a shovel to scoop up the ashes and place them in a metal container. Store the container out of reach of combustibles, a combustible surface or a wooden floor.

Never use a vacuum to clean up ashes because there is a chance that live coals may remain in those ashes.

Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the chimney, if necessary. Have that person show you how to check it yourself, too. The chimney should be checked at least once a year or after approximately 80 fires.

Shine brass fireplace utensils with Worcestershire sauce and a toothbrush.

Clean the firebox (the area where the logs burn) at least once a week during the months that you use it, when ash builds up. Leave about an inch of ash because it acts as insulation for the coals to heat up faster and retain the heat easier. Keep the firebox completely clean during the months it is not in use.

To clean an exterior slate hearth, wash, dry and coat it with lemon oil approximately every six weeks to make it shine. For cleaning exterior brick hearths, purchase a brick cleaner at a fireplace shop.