Tips to Keep a Well Maintained Fireplace

1. Tips to Keep a Well-Maintained Fireplace after a Professional Fireplace Chimney Cleaning A good professional fireplace chimney cleaning is essential for fireplace owners, but having them done frequently can add up. While experts recommend a thorough professional cleaning at least once a year, not taking care of your fireplace after its cleaned might make it necessary to schedule another appointment sooner than you thought. Don’t waste a good clean, take some steps to keep your fireplace and chimney in good condition after the pros leave. Simple ways to avoid wasting a fireplace chimney cleaning: Choosing the right firewood is an important step in taking care of your fireplace and chimney. No matter what type of wood you choose, it should be seasoned, rather green or unseasoned wood. Seasoned wood has been dried for 6-12 months and does not have a lot of moisture. Because of the moisture in unseasoned wood, using it sends more unburned particles up the chimney than dry wood does. This causes substances that can harm your chimney like creosote and soot to build-up faster. If you burn wet and unseasoned logs, you’ll likely be disappointed to learn that you’ll need to schedule professional cleanings much more than once a year. Simply choose dry wood and save yourself a lot of money. Brushing out the ashes in your fireplace regularly is another way that you can keep your fireplace and chimney clean longer. It’s important not to go too crazy with this, as you should keep a small layer of ash on the bottom your fireplace when you use it frequently. A one-inch layer of ash will help you light and maintain fires and protects the bottom of your firebox. However, if the layer of ash gets too deep it can damage your fireplace grate. Because of this it is important to clean out ashes in moderation, being careful to avoid taking out live coals and leave that one-inch layer. Once the summer arrives and you no

2. longer plan on using your fireplace, then it’s time to completely clean out all of the ash. Leaving ash in your unused fireplace can draw in moisture and cause any metal components to rust. The ash you take out of your fireplace can be useful to add nutrients to your compost or can be sprinkled over your garden to keep away pests. Have any questions about how you can keep your chimney cleaner longer? Call your professional chimney sweep company in Montgomery AL and we can help you learn how to properly take care of your fireplace and chimney after every use. Article Source: http://www.apsense.com/article/tips-to-keep-a-wellmaintained-fireplace- after-a-professional-fireplace-chimney-cleaning.html