Properly store firewood and always season your firewood (or buy it seasoned). Mason-lite firebrick panels not only protect your fireplace from damage or fire hazards but also reflect heat from the fireplace into the living space and add a classic look to your fireplace. While creosote is always a byproduct of wood combustion, there are some things you can do to reduce the amount of creosote that gets left behind in your chimney system. #1 How long does a fire last in a fireplace? Continue stacking your wood, using gradually smaller pieces of wood with each layer, until your wood is stacked to about the height of the fireplace.Step 4: At this point, begin placing your kindling (the smallest pieces of wood and sticks). Seasoned wood wood that will make a good fire, put out a lot of heat, and create little creosote will have a moisture content around 15-25%. Apply fire cement to the area that is being repaired, using the trowel. The chemicals used in creosote removers are magnesium-based, and aluminum cans and some salts do in fact contain magnesium. Advantages: These liners are inexpensive, readily available, and perform quite well for open fireplace chimneys that are properly maintained. The damper is the metal door that closes off your chimney flue above the fireplace. Ash thats left behind over the spring and summer months has the potential to draw moisture in moisture that can damage metal components in the fireplace or stove. And of course, if you schedule annual inspections and routine service with a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep, theyll be able to tell you whats appropriate for your appliance and even take care of turning the pilot light on/off if needed as well. Create the space youve dreamed about What Can you Expect During a Chimney Sweep & Inspection? 4. Repeat this for the back wall, sliding in the bricks from the right side all the way to the far left back corner underneath the metal flange that holds the bricks in place. Budgeting for Chimney Care: Your Cost Guide, The Ultimate Guide to Firewood & What You Can & Cant Burn in Your Fireplace, Chimney Anatomy 101: How to Tell Which Type of Chimney/Fireplace You Have, Chimney Sweeping Logs: Your Questions Answered, Chimney Leaks: What to Do If You Have One & How to Prevent Them, Gas & Oil Furnace Chimneys: What You Need to Know, 5 Things You Can Do to Help Your Chimney & Fireplace, Carbon Monoxide & Your Home: What You Need to Know, The Facts About Chimney Fires: Your Questions Answered, Why & How to Become a Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician. Fireplaces, stoves, and their venting systems are not designed to have any sort of gasoline, kerosene, or petroleum-based oil products in them. Can a fire be too big for a fireplace? Given the same amount of pressure, a larger pipe can carry a greater volume of water than a smaller one. Keep your chimney clean and free of excessive creosote and soot buildup. Supplies Needed: #3 Cast-in-place chimney liners are lightweight, cement-like products that are installed inside the chimney to form a smooth, seamless, insulated passageway for flue gases. There should be space between the wood and each of the fireplace walls, and your firewood should never be stacked to the top of the fireplace opening. And when youre ready to head to bed at the end of a long night, you dont have to wait for the fire to die out or worry about extinguishing it. Unlike others who make their refractory Panels from one solid piece with imprints of bricks or are painted to appear as bricks, Mason-Lite Firebrick Panels are made with real Firebrick. Lets get started. Electric Fireplace Insert with Overheating Protection 750-Watt/1500-Watt, Black, 50 in. To see what a top-down fire looks like, check out this video. The great thing about gas fireplaces, stoves, and inserts, is that theyre pretty easy to use. #3 Build a fire thats just the right size. And keep in mind, if you have a throat damper that must be closed by reaching into the fireplace, wear a protective mitt to protect you against burns. An inspection is great because its affordable, its informative, and it takes the guesswork out of the equation. Carbide-Tipped Scoring Tool meant for cutting tile backer board In general, softwoods (pine, cedar, redwood, spruce, douglas fir) are easier to split, they dry faster, and theyre easier to light and get going but theyre lighter, so youll need more soft wood than you would hardwood to get the same amount of heat. Before we wrap and move onto gas fireplaces and hearth appliances, lets cover a few more safety tips for wood burners. Then, at the very top, add your tinder (wood shavings). Buying a House: Why Do You Need a Real Estate Inspection? NOTE:Though each individual mason may have their own technique because of geographic conditions or training, these are some general procedures for repairing cracked fire brick. How do you know if its safe to use your fireplace? Newer woodstoves, inserts, and fireplaces are much more efficient than traditional open hearth masonry fireplaces and woodstoves of old. Your chimney is not made to have the direct heat of the flames inside of it, so you dont want to build your fire so big that the flames are going up into the chimney. Thats why its always best to close the damper whenever your fireplace is not in use. This method is a light it and youre done method, which means no more worrying about larger pieces of wood falling on the struggling new fire. Shoot us an email at office@csia.org. Soot, a powder-like deposit resulting from woodburning, should also be routinely swept from your chimney. Likewise, chimney blockages can still occur, and if the carbon monoxide produced by the appliance cant swiftly vent through the chimney, you and your family could be exposed to this toxic gas. If something went wrong and your heating appliance started pushing carbon monoxide into your air supply instead of venting it up through the chimney, you might not hear the carbon monoxide detector if you were asleep. Place the brick that fits next to the one previously laid. Youll know if its safe for continued use or if theres something you need to do first like have the chimney swept or the damper repaired. Brush water onto the joints and brick faces (mortar doesnt stick to bone-dry brick well). You will need to install the farthest brick first to slide it under the metal ridge and then move forward on the left interior wall. If you light it at the bottom, the fire gets a slower start, which leads to a colder flue and a smokier home. You can find one in your local area right here. So, before you go to bed or leave the house, always fully extinguish the fire first. When building a fire, you never want the wood to fill the whole fireplace. Every wood-burning fireplace, stove, and insert should be inspected on an annual basis and swept as needed. The moisture content of your firewood should be somewhere between 10-25%, no more. But it does go against what most of us have been taught. The specifics here will vary from appliance to appliance, but typically, a gas fireplace, stove, or insert can be turned on/off with the simple touch of a button or flip of a switch. A typical firebrick lining takes a Mason five to eight hours of labor to install. Work it out in advance by installing one row of bricks on the floor of the firebox and one brick on each end for the walls. The same is true for chimneys with the same amount of draft (pressure), a larger flue will exhaust more smoke from your fireplace than a smaller one. Copyright Masonry Fireplace Industries, Inc. Two new burner options: Opalescence and Virginiana, International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida, Wishing you a Happy Holidays from Masonry Fireplace Industries, Masonry Fireplaces Compared to Metal Fireplaces, What Are Included in Modular Fireplace Kits, Top 3 Questions about Masonry Pizza Ovenswith Answers by Celebrity Chef, Difference between air-cooled pipe and insulated pipe. That means, no leaving it on overnight. Well, were here to help. If the hearth area was designed to have the wall bricks installed first, then follow the steps listed for installing the firebricks for the wall and then install the floor. Additionally, just like how a water hose can be kinked or plugged, the airflow in your chimney can have a restriction that slows down the smoke flowing up the chimney. The best way to know which type of gas fireplace, stove, or insert you have is to check your manufacturers instructions. These appliances can provide a great deal of heat and comfort on cold days and nights even when you lose power and cant rely on your furnace to heat the space. Poor flow in a chimney can result from excessive creosote deposits, closed or plugged dampers, improper chimney and fireplace construction, structural damage, or even a dirty chimney cap. Were here to answer these questions and more and make enjoying your wood-burning fireplace, stove, or insert a breeze. And what should you look for in your chimney before you light the first fire of the season? So, what is a chimney liner and why is it so important that you have one? Scourer You can burn both softwood and hardwood in your fireplace, insert, or stove but you should know the differences and when one is preferred over the other. 750-Watt/1500-Watt Black Electric Fireplace Insert, 36 in. If theres one thing we want you to take away from this fireplace guide, its that you should always refer to your appliances manual. Heres our answer: No matter what type of fuel your fireplace, stove, or insert burns, you should NEVER leave it unattended. with a lightweight masonry fireplace. If there are smaller bricks, you want them in the middle between the two longer bricks on the floor of the firebox. Can you burn creosote out of the chimney? Once your ashes and embers are contained, be sure to store them somewhere away from the home never in a garage or near a deck because theres always the possibility that these could rekindle and reignite. Finish up the right interior wall by continuing to install the bricks in a clockwise direction with the last brick installed on your right in the front. The whole point of the damper is to keep outside air from entering your home when your fireplace is not in use and to allow smoke to exit through the chimney when your fireplace is in use. Everyone wants their fireplace to be more efficient because increased efficiency means more heat, less fuel needed to obtain that heat, and fewer flammable creosote deposits. What makes people think either will work to clean the chimney? When that water hits the logs, it will create a cool shell on top of the logs in the fireplace, but it wont fully saturate and extinguish the fire. Its also a cleaner burning fire, which means youll get very little smoke. Keep your damper fully open when you have a fire going in your fireplace. If you have third-degree or glazed creosote in your chimney the hard, shiny form of creosote dont wait for 1/8 buildup to schedule a sweeping. Remove the firebricks from the package and sort them by size. Another perk of having one of these fireplaces, stoves, or inserts is that fuel is always affordable and plentiful. Theres a myth out there that burning salt or aluminum cans in your chimney will clean it, but were here to bust that myth. While you may think, the bigger the fire, the better, a fire can be too big for the fireplace. Gas fireplaces, stoves, and inserts are by nature more efficient than open hearth masonry fireplaces. When soot is left to build up in the chimney and fireplace, it can cause staining on your homes ceilings, floors, and walls and on your furniture and belongings. Watch the video below for a quick explanation of why the moisture content of your firewood is so important. If you feel like youre doing all the right things, but your fireplace or stove just isnt as efficient as youd like, consider an upgrade. Dry-Mix Refractory Mortar For tips on choosing and storing firewood, check out the Ultimate Guide to Firewood. Metal Jointer The fire sits atop the firebrick and the firebrick absorbs the heat of the fire through the day and evening, releasing it slowly through the night. Youll want to remove all the ash in your fireplace or woodstove at the end of the heating season. You do not ever want to use any type of accelerant to start a fire in your fireplace or woodstove. If you cant find it, you may be able to find what you need on the manufacturers website so do a quick online search. This form of creosote is highly flammable and needs to be removed right away. The easiest way to remember is to check the batteries when youre changing the clocks for Daylight Savings Time. Never leave a fire in your fireplace unattended and always supervise children and pets closely around woodstoves and fireplaces. This is also where youll find detailed instructions on how to turn on the pilot light for your particular appliance if it is off and does not rely on automatic ignition. When you burn wet wood in your appliance, heat output will suffer, appliance performance will suffer, and youll see greater smoke and creosote production. For a few quick tips on properly operating your woodstove at max efficiency and performance, check out this video from our Director of Education, Russ Dimmitt. 4. For more information on Duraflame products and their use, check out their website or email info@duraflame.com. Again, refer to your manufacturers instructions. Still, burning neither aluminum cans nor salt will clean your chimney. Each prefabricated fireplace, stove, and insert is designed and tested by the manufacturer to be used in specific ways and under specific conditions. The best fire to burn in your fireplace or woodstove is what we call a top-down burn. Complete this row working from right to left. Well, both myths are rooted in a bit of fact. Once the fire is lit and going strong, you should still be able to see the tips of the flames through the fireplace opening. Fire Cement At Mason-Lite, we want our customers to be able to enjoy their fireplace for years to come. Set the next piece, a smaller one adjacent to the one you just laid. We often get asked if creosote can be burned out of the chimney. These bricks will stand perpendicular to the ones laid for the floor of the firebox and line the interior wall of the hearth. It depends on the type of gas fireplace you have. How to Build a Half-Moon Outdoor Fire Pit, Copyright 2022 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Lifestyle, All Rights Reserved. You should still schedule annual inspections and chimney cleanings when needed. #4 Are accelerants like lighter fluid bad for the chimney? How do you get rid of soot and creosote? If you dont have a remote, there may be a concealed knob for each setting either in the front of the fireplace (look for a flap near the bottom of the fireplace facing) or beside the gas logs. 750/1500-Watt Black Electric Fireplace Insert with Thin Trim, Adjustable Flame, 3 Color Top Light, 33 in. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. So, how do you increase draft and flow in your chimney? Just total peace of mind. #2 Can you go to bed with embers in the fireplace or with a fire in the fireplace? You likely have questions about how to get the most heat and efficiency from your fireplace, how to know if its safe to use your fireplace, how to improve draft, etc. Earthcore Industries, LLC manufactures Isokern fireplaces and chimney systems, Isopanel modular kitchens, Isoven wood burning ovens and Isoflames solutions. Use an old paintbrush and vacuum to sweep the joints clean. If you have any other questions youd like to see answered here in the guide, please let us know! Local store prices may vary from those displayed. Wipe any excess cement from the brick. Bring Us to Your Turf With the CSIA Roadshow, Sponsor a Class, Make a Donation, or Advertise With Us. The shavings at the top should be small enough to light with a single match. Well, youll be letting all that warmth you created exit through the chimney and all the cool air from outside enter your home. In these cases, opening a window slightly may alleviate the issue of smoke spilling into the home through the fireplace opening. Having a qualified professional look at and maintain your chimney reduces the risk of chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or chimney obstructions. H 750-Watt/1500-Watt Black Electric Fireplace Insert with Overheating Protection, 30 in. When a fireplace chimney is full of hot air, it pulls air in through the firebox. Step 1: Separate your firewood by size.Step 2: Start by placing the largest pieces of wood in the bottom of your fireplace or woodstove, with the ends facing the front and back. Placing the wood with the ends at the front and back allows the air to mix well with the fuel, instead of only hitting the broad side of the wood as it would if it were placed parallel to the fireplace or stove opening.Step 3: Stack 4-5 slightly smaller levels of wood on top of the first layer. With a gas appliance, you dont have to worry about logs rolling out and causing a fire or smoke pouring into your home, but what you do have to worry about is carbon monoxide. Mason-Lite firebrick panels truly make your fireplace an enjoyable part of your home. Clean any soot, grease or dust from the fire brick that is to be repaired allow brick to dry before beginning the repair. What Is a Chimney Inspection & Why Do You Need One Every Year? Mason-lite Prefabricated Firebrick Panels come in two classic designs a full running bond and a split herringbone, with a new split running bond design coming soon. When you purchase firewood, youll want to split it and use a moisture meter to check the moisture content inside the wood. Find a CSIA-Certified Chimney Sweep for the job right here. And while were busting myths, burning potatoes in your chimney wont clean it either! Creosote is a deposit made of unburned wood particles and its highly flammable. And one of the easiest ways to ensure your fireplace, woodstove, or insert is operating at peak efficiency and safety is to follow the manufacturers instructions regarding use and maintenance. That said, there are some signs you can keep an eye out for that could signal your chimney is damaged or has other issues that need to be addressed. Atlanta, GAAustin, TXCamarillo, CACharlotte, NCCorona, CADallas, TXHouston, TXPhoenix, AZ. There are two basic types of gas logs currently on the market: yellow flame and blue flame. A lot of manufacturers will also have great videos on their website that can walk you through the different features of your particular fireplace, stove, and insert and how to use your appliance. How do you know if you should leave the gas and pilot light on? Keep tree branches and leaves at least 15 feet away from the top of your chimney. As older homes are made tighter to improve energy efficiency and many newer homes are being built tighter for that same reason, in some cases, theres inefficient air to allow the fireplace to operate properly. What this means is that the flue tiles will crack and split apart in a chimney fire, allowing heat to transfer to nearby combustibles. Water While a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep can evaluate your chimney and recommend any corrective action needed for proper draft and flow, there are a couple of things you can do to improve draft and flow as well: In the 1940s and again in the 1980s, masonry chimneys were tested by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) for durability, due to rising concerns about their performance and safety. Carbon Monoxide & Your Home: What You Need to Know. Here at CSIA, we recommend that you always wait to remove embers and ash until everything has had time to completely cool. Other gas fireplaces are designed so that the pilot light will automatically light when the fireplace is turned on. Lastly, if you want your hearth appliance to continue operating at peak efficiency and safety levels, keep up with routine inspections and cleanings. As air is pulled in, soot from the chimney comes in with it. Install a chimney cap to keep debris, rainwater, and animals out of your chimney. #3 How do you safely put out a fire in your fireplace? Well, when youre finished building your fire, there should still be space between the firebox walls and the wood. If the flames are going up into the chimney, youve built a fire that is too big. If they recommend the doors be closed, keep them closed. Hardwoods (beech, hickory, mahogany, maple, oak, teak, walnut) are denser, so youll get more heat per volume. You may be tempted to remove ash after every fire you burn, but wait Its not a good idea to remove all the ash from the fireplace or woodstove every time you build a fire. Always check the manufacturers instructions so you know how many consecutive hours your particular appliance is designed to be used. Soot typically comes down through the chimney because of backdrafts and downdrafts. Detergent But keep in mind, if you leave a large amount of ash in your woodstove, it will reduce the volume of fuel that can be added to the firebox, resulting in smaller fires. If the fire is too big for your fireplace, stove, or insert, your chimney will have a hard time removing the smoke created by the fire, and youll see a decline in appliance performance. You should never go to bed with a fire or burning embers still in the fireplace. Schedule annual chimney inspections and cleanings as needed. So, how big should your fire be for optimal efficiency and performance? Make sure your chimney liner is properly sized for your appliance and free of damaged areas that could cause friction. In fact, having a dirty, plugged-up chimney cap at the end of your chimney is like having a closed nozzle at the end of a hose. #1 Follow your manufacturers instructions for use. Reach your manufacturers instructions. Tuck-Pointing Trowel (narrow enough to fit in the brick joints) Apply heat to the fire brick, gradually increasing the temperature over a three to four hour period. Firebricks come in varying dimensions and fit together like a puzzle inside the hearth. If additional cracks are found, repeat steps 1-3. Can I burn softwood in my fireplace? Water During a chimney inspection, a chimney professional will evaluate your chimney and hearth appliance top to bottom and check for: Inspections typically take no more than an hour, and at the end of that time, youll have a comprehensive report detailing the condition of your chimney and hearth appliance.
Sitemap 14