A lot of people only do fireplace repairs Short Hills when their fireplace sustains significant damage. This shouldn’t be the case because repairing issues before they become expensive will save you a lot of money. Keep reading to understand a few important steps for maintaining your fireplace to ensure it is functioning properly and safely for years to come.
It is important to maintain your fireplace by completing some simple tasks throughout the year and getting it checked by a professional annually. This will extend the life of your fireplace. You’ll also be keeping your family and yourself safe.
Maintaining your fireplace
The way you maintain your fireplace will depend on the type of fireplace you have. Do you have a gas or wood-burning fireplace? It will take a lot of effort to maintain your wood-burning fireplace. Homeowners will put up with the hard work for an authentic experience. the feeling of seeing a pile of firewood catch fire, smelling the smoky scent and listening to the sound of burning wood is satisfying. But you will be left with soot and ash to clean up after the fire dies down.
Maintaining a wood-burning fireplace
A lot of maintenance is involved to ensure your wood-burning fireplace is efficient. You should remove the remaining ash from the fireplace and disposed of. You should wait for twelve hours after the fire dies to ensure the ash is cold. Keep in mind that the ash is full of nutrients and you can add it to your soil to fortify it with nutrients.
Clean around the fireplace
You can avoid costly fireplace repairs by cleaning around your fireplace. Burning wood produces creosote and soot. This is the dark residue that coats the interior walls of your firebox and reaches up into the lining of the chimney. The buildup should be removed every season or whenever you see a residue that is over 1/8 thick. Creosote buildup can release toxic gases and is flammable. It is a major cause of fires.
Gas fireplace
You should maintain your gas fireplace to keep it efficient and safe. It requires less work to maintain but it is still necessary to clean the area of debris and dust at least yearly. You should follow safety precautions when doing this. The most important step is to turn off the pilot light and gas and give the unit enough time to cool down.
Steps for cleaning
Start by removing the glass front of the fireplace to remove the grime. Wipe it down with a fireplace glass cleaner. You should then run a handheld vacuum over the decorative logs and lava rocks. Replace any logs or rocks that are falling apart. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the dust from your fireplace louvers and trim. This will help you avoid costly fireplace repairs Short Hills. Check the wall surrounding your unit for damp spots or peeling wallpaper. Inspect the chimney outside for eroding bricks or white stains. These signs indicate that something could be wrong and require a professional inspection.
