Watch For Smoke | Fireplace Inserts | Burning the Right Wood

DIY FIREPLACE UPDATES

Any home can achieve a warm and cozy feel throughout winter, while also setting the mood with a subtle romantic effect. A well-maintained fireplace can be a great focal point in the room, but an uncared-for one might be an eyesore. You wouldn’t want to hide this classic feature, would you? Fortunately, breathing new life into your fireplace doesn’t have to be a overpriced affair. There are many budget-friendly options.

Whether you’re just looking to make some minor changes, or you’re desperate to give that outdated fireplace a new look and feel that’s personalized to you, we’ve got some ideas for you.

ADDING OR MODIFYING A MANTEL

A mantel is the brick or wood surrounding the chimney opening. If there’s no mantel on your fireplace, consider building or installing one. It can tie together the aesthetic of the room. Adding a mantel can be easy to install yourself and doesn’t cost a large sum. If you have a mantel and it’s severely chipped, warped, or has irreparable damage, you might think about replacing it. However, some paint will do the trick if your only concern with your existing mantel is its unattractive appearance.

MAKEOVER THE SCREEN AND DOORS

As homes become more modernized, you may be wanting to update old styles. A good place to begin is with the screen and doors of the fireplace. If you adore the current design but want to easily change the look, paint it! You can repaint fireplace doors with high-heat resistant paint, available online or at your local hardware store. A less permanent way to change the look is by getting a new screen.

INSTALL A FLOATING BEAM

In lieu of a mantel, floating beams provide shelf space while keeping the area clear that surrounds the chimney opening. These are an excellent choice if there’s nothing surrounding your fireplace but the hearth.

You can find a new beam in most wood shops or online retailers, as well as salvage shops or even eBay. If you’re handy, you can even cut your own beam from a larger piece of wood and treat it.

ACCESSORIZE, ACCESSORIZE, ACCESSORIZE

The hearth is the area in front of a fireplace, usually a stone, brick, cement, or marble slab. It adds a layer of protection and can be used to store fireplace tools. You can include accessories around the hearth that give it a unique look. A large mirror, piece of artwork, or family portraits may be hung above the mantel to instantly change the aesthetic.

DECORATE WITH AN ARTISTIC TOUCH

Bring out your inner artist by placing a fabric runner on the mantel to complement the wall behind it. Adding small items like picture frames, vases, flowers, or candles are all accessories that can be easily changed out depending on the seasons or holidays. Whatever you decide to do to your fireplace, we’d love to hear about it. Show us your newly designed fireplace here!

PREPARING YOUR FIREPLACE FOR FALL AND WINTER

Nothing is more pleasing when the temperature drops than the soft amber blaze of a crackling fire. But before you light up that firewood, there are numerous steps you need to take to get your fireplace ready, and for excellent reason. Prepping your fireplace for fall can:

Improve the air quality in your house
Avert fires
Save energy
Keep your home warm

Chimney preparation steps are given below:

ARRANGE A YEARLY INSPECTION

All chimneys should be examined and cleaned by a chimney cleaning company at least once a year. A careful cleaning will eliminate any buildup of creosote, an oily and extremely flammable byproduct of burning wood, gives you a safer fireplace.

CLEAN THE FIREBOX

Eliminate and clean the grate and other accessories that are inside the firebox. Vacuum or remove the ash and store it in a metal container with a sealed lid. There are several ways you can recycle the ash. You can use it in your backyard as a fertilizer, to dissolve ice, and even clean the fireplace doors, for example. Be sure to keep a small amount of ash. It will help with starting your initial fire of the season.

CHECK FOR CRACKS AND DAMAGE

Check for cracks and wobbly joints of the firebricks inside the fireplace, and check the external masonry for damage. Hire an expert mason to do any repairs—never try to repair firebrick with ordinary mortar, as the blend cannot stand up to high heat.

EXAMINE THE CHIMNEY CAP AND DAMPER

Ensure the fireplace damper is working accurately and that there is no wreckage preventing it from opening and closing. Make sure that the chimney cap is firmly attached and in good condition. The cap should comprise protective screening to keep birds, squirrels, and other pests from entering the chimney.

CLEAR AWAY TREE LIMBS

While you are outside examining the chimney cap, trim any overhanging tree limbs that may be squeezing on the chimney. Tree limbs can restrict the proper draft of the chimney and spoil the cap.

CLEAR OUT ASHES

Clean out the firebox once in a week, or whenever the ash is more than an inch deep. Coals can stay hot for up to three days, so ensure everything is completely cold. Remove or vacuum the cold ashes and dispose it outside—wood ashes are just right for garden beds and compost piles.

HOW TO PREP A GAS-BURNING FIREPLACE

Clean the blower

Check your gas-burning fireplace to see if it has a blower. If it does, clean it. Distinct from furnace blowers, the blowers of gas-burning fireplaces do not have a filtering system to stop buildup. Dust buildup can cause early wearing of the bearings. Dust can insulate the motor, which prevents it from cooling correctly, eventually leading to motor failure.

Replace batteries

Before every season, change the batteries in any remote transmitters and receivers, if appropriate. Also, replace the batteries and examine any smoke or carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are working properly.

All About Ceramic Coating

WHY CHOOSE CERAMIC COATING?

Your chimney plays a very significant role in the secure use of your fireplace or wood-burning heater. Many homeowners are amazed to hear that poorly-maintained flues and chimneys are in reality one of the common causes for home fires. When it comes to your firewood or gas-burning machine, there are plenty of parts that go into keeping your home safe, including the chimney liner.

HOW DOES IT GET DONE?

Ceramic coating sprayed within your chimney blocks and plugs any gap or cracks, and coats an even ceramic layer which provides the correct passageway for the smoke and any harmful emissions to disband from the fire directly out the crown of your chimney. It also controls any further acid corrosion and prevents damage being done to the flue which not only ensures your chimney is protected to use but also puts your mind at rest that no expensive repairs will be needed.

It is applied with a sprayer. On the vertical walls, i.e. most of the chimney, it should be applied from base to top because as the material comes out of the sprayer it runs down the chimney and gets absorbed into the chimney underneath the area is working on. The top requires extra attention or it’d only obtain one pass. Afterward than you come to an end about 15 minutes’ worth, do it another time just to make sure the entire structure gets a good soaking.

BENEFITS OF CERAMIC COATING

Avoid Overheating of the Chimney and Lengthens Its Lifespan
Seals crack preventing heat loss, considerably saving heat energy
Excellent resistance to powdering
Forms gas-tight surface
Cost-Effective
Increases the security of a home, advance the operation of the fireplace and guard the smoke chamber

SEALING THE CHIMNEY BREAST

Since the chimney breast has a more brutal exposure to rain and particularly snow, it needs more coats of Ceramic coating. Most Ceramic coatings used these days are water-based material. This is for many reasons: First is that water-based materials cost significantly less than solvent-based materials. They are safer to dispatch, store and use and they are completely adequate to the task. The exception to the advantages is on non-vertical surfaces.

SEALING A CHIMNEY CROWN

The chimney crown is a nearly flat surface and it’s completely made of concrete or mortar. It shouldn’t be made of mortar, but there is a good possibility that it is anyway. Based on what you’ve just read about ceramic coating the chimney breast, you’d logically think that you’d just use a solvent-based waterproofing material there.

For Ceramic Coating services contact Irish Sweep today!

REASONS FOR A CHIMNEY DISMANTLE

You might be looking at your old chimney and thinking about its removal. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it first seems, and there are so many factors to think about before you begin. When you wish to get rid of the chimney for purely aesthetic reasons, the effort required may prove more than it’s worth.

There are numerous reasons for wanting to get rid of the chimney, including:

Poorly damaged stack
Local pollution regulation
No plans to use it in the future
State of disrepair
Roof leakage
Home insulation
Takes up too much space

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There are five important factors to consider when it comes to a chimney dismantle task. Understanding these terms is essential for deciding on the suitable actions and calculating costs.

BREAST

The chimney breast is equally the most visible and fundamental portion of a chimney. The brick walls encase the flu and other functional parts, providing extra insulation and major structural support.

Regrettably, the breast tends to protrude into all the places it passes through. In the occasion you desire to repossess this space in a room, it is achievable to remove only that section of the breast instead of the whole chimney.

STACK

When people consider a chimney, this is the element they tend to picture. It is the part which protrudes from the peak, ending in a cap. Leaks and structural damage are the most familiar reasons for wanting to remove a chimney stack, and in this case, you will have the choice of simply covering over the rest of an unused chimney when you expand the roof over the gap left by the stack.

TIME INVESTMENT

Whether you do the task yourself or hire a contractor, be aware that removing a chimney is a time-consuming task, particularly traditional brick ones. A brick chimney must be cautiously disassembled one brick at a time to avoid structural damage.

DISPOSAL

Simply removing the stack may not generate a lot of garbage, but if your plans involve taking out the chimney breast in one or more areas, you may be looking at a large quantity of brick and tile. This is not only costly to dispose of, but may require special permits.

Be sure to fully investigate local disposal regulations and see if there are masonry companies who may be involved in salvaging the materials. In the latter case, the disposal may be low-priced or even free, depending on the company and state of the bricks you remove.

PERSONAL SAFETY

Chipping away at older masonry one brick at a time is a long and unsafe job. Be sure to have sufficient head and body protection, and be conscious of the high levels of dust you will be creating that could affect your lungs or vision.

Contact the Irish Sweep today to dismantle your chimney.

5 TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR FIREPLACE SAFER

Fireplaces are a captivating home feature and a cozy source of warmth. But as eye-catching as a fireplace may be, it is often forgotten in the grand scheme of home maintenance and repair.

We recommend getting your chimney and fireplace inspected by a professional once a year but, in the meantime, there are plenty of proactive measures you can take.

Here are five useful tips to keep your fireplace safe in any season:

1. Keep Your Chimney Top Clean

First, make sure you’ve installed a chimney cap to keep mother earth outside. Because animals like to seek refuge in there, the Humane Society of the United States recommends using a stainless-steel chimney cap with wire mesh to prevent their access. Clean the cap if it becomes clogged. You can use a wire brush to remove debris from the mesh.

While you’re up there, examine the brick mortar for cracks or flakiness. Caulk is a great waterproof filler to patch any damage.

2. Contain The Flame

Gusts of wind from storms can shoot down the chimney and blow embers all over your favorite (and flammable) furnishing. Installing glass screens keeps your fire insulated and protects your home and loved ones.

These screens should be open during the full blaze to maximize airflow. Doing so will promote combustion and minimize the buildup of creosote. Make sure to clear the hearth space of furniture, Christmas trees and other flammable decorations to avoid igniting wandering embers.

3. Don’t Neglect Your Detectors

Check your carbon monoxide detector’s batteries and invest in a quality smoke detector.

The American Society of Home Inspectors suggests a photoelectric detector, which works by aiming light into a sensing chamber and detecting the entrance of smoke through the chamber via reflected light. A photoelectric detector works best for smoldering fires.

Also, don’t burn trash or old tree branches. They will produce more smoke than productive blaze and risk setting off your alarms.

4. Keep It Clean

Ensure your fireplace and your chimney are clean prior to your fire burning season.

To check if it’s time for a sweeping, take a flashlight and your fireplace poker and scratch the black surface above the smoke chamber. If the scratch in creosote is extremely thin, you can leave it a bit longer until your next sweep.

But if you have ¼ inch or more of creosote, do not light another fire until the chimney has been swept out. For a thorough job, we recommend calling a professional.

Pro tip: Ashes and creosote can be a source of calcium for your plants.

5. Install and Use Fireplace Dampers

Dampers are used to let smoke out during fires and keep heat inside when the chimney is not in use.

Ensure that the damper or flue is open for the entire duration of fire burning and wait until the embers have stopped burning before closing your dampers. The damper can also be checked by looking up into the chimney with a flashlight or mirror.

For a complete and comprehensive fireplace safety analysis, leave it to the professionals. Contact us for thorough inspections and cleanings if you think your fireplace is ready for a sweep.

5 BEST FIREPLACE STYLE REFRESHES

Is your fireplace style looking tired, outdated, or even damaged? You might consider restoring your fireplace to make it more attractive and more useable. Here are five outstanding fireplace restoration ideas from the economical to the indulgent!

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