Prepare for Michigan Winter!
Few winter delights beat the crackling sound and soothing aromas of a wood-burning fire!
To get ready for the upcoming holidays, make sure your fireplace and your fire-building skills are in shape for cozy gatherings.
Have a chimney sweep company check your chimney for birds’ nests and other debris that could block smoke from venting outside properly. The sweep will also remove sooty creosote from the chimney walls.
Use only dried, aged hardwood logs or commercial logs appropriate for indoor use. Green, wet or soft woods produce more smoke and soot. Never burn any items with chemical finishes that produce unwanted gases.
Open the damper before building any fire and keep it open until the fire has gone completely out. Smaller logs burn faster, so start small, using kindling or a starter log. Add larger logs as the fire catches, leaving space between the logs for air to circulate. Never leave a fire unattended.
Ashes don’t smell nearly as good as a fire, so clean them out before you can use the fireplace again. Don’t let too much ash build up, as it causes more smoke, but leave just enough to cushion embers as they fall from burning logs.