Autumn Maintenance Tips

Clean Your Fireplace and Chimney
Lay out a tarp or sheet in front of the fireplace. Open the fireplace damper and make sure it operates.

Go outside to inspect the outside of the chimney for loose bricks or stones and deteriorating joints. Repair if necessary. Climb onto your roof and remove the chimney cap and check it for weather damage. The chimney cap keeps sparks from escaping your chimney while keeping out the rain, small animals and debris.

Run a chimney brush down the inside of the chimney to clean it out.

Go back inside to clean the lower portion of the flue with a brush.

Brush the fireplace floor, walls and damper with a stiff, dry scrub brush to remove the creosote. Don't scrub too hard or use a brush with metal bristles because the brick crumbles easily.

Vacuum up all of the dust and debris.

Close the damper. If it doesn't close tightly, purchase an inflatable fireplace draft stopper at any hardware store. (Leaks through the damper are drafty, and can increase your heating bills by 8%)

P.C BE SAFE