'Fireplace & Woodstove' Category

To build a woodstove fire, place a pile of dry kindling over balls of crumpled newspaper and top with a mix of split wood, softwood for ignition and hardwood for long burning. Open the damper and air inlet, light the paper and shut the stove door. [...] Read More

It is important to start with the right kind of wood whether you are building a fire in a fireplace or a woodstove. Seasoned wood, logs that have been cut and allowed to dry out for six months or more will burn cleaner and give off more heat than green wood which still has a high water content. Two pieces of dry, seasoned wood will make a ringing tone when struck together, green logs will thud. Softwood such as pine, spruce or hemlock ignites quickly and is good for getting a fire started. Hardwood such as maple, oak, ash or birch burns more slowly and keeps a fire going. [...] Read More

Like fireplace, woodstoves have come a long way in efficiency and clean burning since the 1970s. Updated models use less wood to burn hotter and longer with less pollution. Make sure that your woodstove meets code requirements, is properly installed on a fireproof surface and has the clearances from the walls and ceiling that are specified by the manufacturer. A woodstove will burn more efficiently and will be safer if you keep it in top-notch condition. [...] Read More

The upper part of a chimney that soars above the roof takes a beating from wind and the weather. Don't make it more vulnerable by attaching a TV antenna or a satellite dish to it. Have the chimney inspected yearly for damage. [...] Read More

Hire a chimney professional if you haven't used your fireplace for more than a year or if you don't know the condition of a fireplace in a newly purchased home. Some chimney professionals still call themselves chimney sweeps. They will make a thorough inspection before you test the fireplace yourself. Some fireplaces are simply decorative. If a fireplace flue has been sealed then you'll want to know if it can be opened and how much that would cost. Have the chimney inspected and the flue cleaned at least once a year. If you use the fireplace every day in winter then it will need more frequent attention. If an inspection reveals problems in the flue lining or the chimney masonry, have these repairs attended to before you use the fireplace again. [...] Read More

Factory-made fireplaces. A newer generation of manufactured wood-burning fireplaces uses "clean burn" technology to reduce emissions and improve heating output. Featuring an air intake, glass doors and circulating fans, these fireplaces are much more practical and economical than their predecessors. Because their chimneys don't require a masonry casing and can accommodate turns on the way to the roof, these fireplaces come in may designs and can be located almost anywhere in the house. For example, you may find them used as room dividers with glass doors on either side. Buy a fireplace insert from a fireplace or wood-burning stove dealer and have it professionally installed. [...] Read More

A traditional fireplace built by a mason, starts below the frost line with a concrete foundation and ends with a tile-lined flue that runs from the firebox - where you lay the logs - to well above the roof a masonry chimney. A damper closes the flue when the fireplace is not in use and an ash door on the floor of the firebox lets you sweep ashes into a chute that you can empty from the basement or into an opening outside. A masonry fireplace is a desirable is a desirable architectural asset to a house. However in use they can rob your house of furnace-warmed air and pollute the environment with unburned toxic gases while producing flammable creosote in the chimney and creating a fire hazard. [...] Read More