Wood and gas fireplaces are the most common fireplaces in most homes. To retain them in good working condition and protect your home from fire you need to clean them regularly. Here are tips on how to clean them:
Wood burning fireplace
The major problem with wood burning fireplaces is creosote buildup. You can clean the creosote on your own by hiring or buying cleaning brushes. Even if you undertake chimney cleaning on your own its highly recommended that you hire a chimney contractor once a year to inspect the fireplace and repair it if need be.
To reduce the frequency at which you clean the chimney you should reduce creosote buildup by being choosy of the wood you burn. As rule of thumb you should only burn seasoned hardwood. If you have to burn softwood, you should ensure that it’s fully dry.
Ashes: since you will be using wood, you will definitely have ash remains that you have to clean. To remove the ashes from the firebox you need to have a shovel or similar device. To avoid causing fire, you shouldn’t dump the ashes directly into the trash—you should wait about 72 hours after which you should now dump it in the trash can.
Surrounding: if the chimney is clogged or the damper isn’t open you will have a buildup of soot and smoke on the surrounding areas. It’s recommended that you hire a chimney cleaning contractor to do the cleaning and also unblock the chimney if blocked.
Gas fireplace
Although, you won’t be burning wood in a gas fireplace, you have to clean it regularly. A gas fireplace doesn’t have as much debris as a wood burning fireplace, but you should clean it. To clean the debris you should vacuum the firebox while paying close attention to the area surrounding the heat exchanger.
Maintenance: in addition to removing the debris you also need to undertake general chimney maintenance. You should check the pilot light and ensure that it’s burning correctly. If the light sputters or doesn’t burn, it’s a sign of a clog. You should contact a fireplace repair professional to come and take a look at it.
You should take a look at the gas logs and ensure that they are stacked correctly in a way that they give a good impression and at the same time allow efficient heating.
Conclusion
These are tips on how to clean two of the most popular fireplaces: wood and gas. For ideal results always ensure that chimney cleaning company you hire is certified and insured.
