One of people’s favorite indoor activities, especially in the fall and winter, is spending time next to a warm and cozy fireplace fire. Nothing more romantic than snuggling up to your partner in front of a glowing fire, nothing more relaxing than coming home from a long day of work or outside and sitting in your chair next to a glowing hearth, and nothing more joyful than playing with your kids or speaking to your friends around the fireplace.
But before you enjoy your fireplace, whether it is burning wood or gas, make sure your chimney is clean and free of blockages; get chimney checked and swept before you start lighting fires in it.
If your chimney is built on the outside of your house, the chimney flue is probably cold. When you open the damper, the cold air in the flue will sink and come into your warm house. If you try to light a wood fire during this air sink, you are going to end up with smoke coming into the house instead of up the chimney. To counteract the air sink, you need to prime the flue by warming it up. It can be done by lighting a roll of newspaper and holding it up the damper opening for a few minutes. When you feel the draft reverse, you know the flue is primed, and you are ready to start your fire.
If you have a gas fireplace, the fire may not ignite right away if the unit has not been used for some times because of air in the pipes so try until the gas fills up and reaches the pilot and burning area.
With your cozy fireplace lit, time to relax and bask in the glow of the blazing hearth.
