Households that maintain a fireplace can expect to benefit from the heat they give off, whether they use natural gas or wood to provide you with the necessary warmth to last you through the cold season. But if you’re using a wood-burning fireplace, they offer all kinds of great features.
It gives off more flames, presents a pleasing scent, and the sound of the crackling fire that you aren’t surprised if you feel relaxed each time you sit by the fireplace and cosy up with your loved ones. But to make sure you get the best out of your wood-burning fireplace, you need to make an effort to maintain it regularly.
That means cleaning your wood stove thoroughly to prevent the buildup of ash, soot, and other debris that could affect its quality and make a negative impact on your health over time. Keep reading below to find out how to initiate the maintenance of your wood-burning fireplace to assure you continue benefiting from it for the years to come.
Effective Ways to Clean Out Your Wood-Burning Fireplace
Dispose of the Ashes Regularly
With a log-burning stove, you can expect to deal with ashes each time you use it. That’s because every time you burn wood, it leaves behind ashes which you don’t necessarily have to take care of right away.
You first have to make sure the ashes have cooled down before you clean them up to prevent causing a mess in your home and achieving unwanted burns. Sweep up the ashes and throw them out in a metal container for proper disposal.
Inspect for Remnants of Soot
If you want to guarantee your fireplace is working correctly, you should examine the flue for any potential indicators of soot buildup. It comes in a powdery form that appears to be softer than creosote, so it tends to lodge itself inside cracks and corners of your wood-burning fireplace.
The moment you see soot piling up in your fireplace, you should use a brush and vinegar to scrub it off. Applying vinegar serves as a non-toxic solution to getting rid of soot without harming your health and has acidic properties that make removing soot much quicker.
Always Use Dry Firewood
If you ask the advice of reliable fireplace installers on what kind of wood you should utilise for your fireplace, they will always recommend that you use dry firewood. Considering wet or moist wood is never a bright decision because aside from being challenging to light, they won’t come in handy.
Besides, igniting damp firewood that contains too much moisture will end up producing more soot and creosote that will only end up sticking all over your fireplace. Instead, remember to gather kiln dried firewood to serve as the best source of fuel for your wood-burning fireplace.
Never Start a Fire with Paper
Lighting up your fireplace with the help of paper, regardless if it’s a newspaper, scratch paper, or magazine paper, is not a good idea and should not be tolerated by homeowners handling fireplaces. In fact, you can’t expect the paper to burn as effectively as wood.
Even though it’s quick to light, you can expect to clean up plenty of ashes after the paper has disintegrated. To maintain the cleanliness of your fireplace, use tinder or kindling for your wood-burning fireplace instead.
Conclusion
As the winter season arrives over Scotland, people can expect to spend most of their days indoors, away from the freezing temperatures out in the open. If you want to maintain the comfort and warmth of your home, you have to take precautionary measures to ensure you get the best out of your wood-burning fireplace. Remember to dispose of the ashes often, inspect for remains of soot, use dry firewood all the time, and avoid starting a fire with paper.
Are you looking for fireplace installation services in Scotland for your lovely home? Stove Scotland offers multi-fuel and wood-burning stoves and fireplaces to households. We carry some of the top brands like Merlin, Aduro, Pod, Askgard, Termatec, and Burley to guarantee you have a variety of choices to match your needs. Get in touch with us today to receive a free quote!
