Using your fireplace is a great way to keep your space warm and create a cozy ambiance in your home. However, if you don’t prepare your fireplace for winter, you may end up dealing with fire and smoke damage. But how do you prepare your fireplace for winter?
At Liberty Restoration, our team understands just how to prepare your fireplace so your home is safe from fires this winter. If you need to prepare your fireplace for an especially cold winter but aren’t sure where to begin, keep reading to see what we recommend to keep you, your family, and your home safe.
Why is it Important to Prepare Your Fireplace for Winter?
It is important to prepare your fireplace for winter for several reasons, especially if you use it regularly throughout the colder winter months. On average, 7% of house fires every year are a result of fireplaces. The most important reason to prepare your fireplace is to maintain safety in your home. Regular maintenance of your fireplace and chimney ensures it works well, reducing the chance of a chimney fire and potentially dangerous carbon monoxide leaks.
Preparing your fireplace for winter is also important to ensure it works as efficiently as possible. Well-maintained fireplaces can burn wood more effectively, producing more heat while consuming less fuel. When you prepare your fireplace for winter, you guarantee your home will be warmer when the outside temperature drops below freezing.
Preparing your fireplace may also ensure you don’t miss out on damage. If you aren’t performing regular maintenance and checks on your fireplace and chimney, you may spend more money on costly repairs or need to replace the entire fireplace. When you prepare ahead of time, you save yourself money in the long run.
If you want to use your fireplace this winter, ensure you follow our advice to ensure it is ready for the colder months. If you do, you can trust that your family can comfortably sit around the fireplace, ignoring the cold weather and enjoying each other’s company.
Steps to Prepare Your Fireplace for Winter
You should take several steps to prepare your fireplace for winter properly. If you have a fireplace in your home that you would like to use this winter, consider following these steps to ensure it is ready for regular use:
1. Clear the Area Surrounding the Fireplace
One of the most significant risks of using a fireplace in your home is nearby belongings catching fire. To protect your home and prepare your fireplace for winter, consider moving personal belongings away from the opening of your fireplace. Ensure that your personal belongings are at least one foot away from your fireplace to keep this space fire-safe.
2. Remove Any Old Ashes
You should ensure the ashes in your fireplace are removed when they are any higher than 1 inch, as well as at the end of the winter season. Failure to remove ash can lead to a breakdown of the grates and firebox in your fireplace. If you want to prepare your fireplace for the winter and ensure it stays in the best shape possible, make sure you’re regularly removing ashes.
3. Trim the Trees near Your Chimney
If you have large trees that hang over the top of your chimney, it is important to trim them properly to keep your home safe. If they aren’t properly trimmed, they may knock into your chimney during storms, causing damage to the chimney. By trimming your trees, you guarantee that the area is clear before any storms hit and cause storm damage to your home.
4. Replace the Batteries in Your Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Detector
One of the best ways to prepare your fireplace for winter (and your home) is by replacing the batteries in your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector. Whether you have a gas or wood-burning fireplace, these systems are an important part of your home’s safety measures.
5. Schedule an Inspection
One of the easiest ways to prepare your fireplace for winter is by scheduling an inspection. When a professional comes out to do a thorough inspection, you protect yourself from damage and other signs you might miss. Working with a professional is the perfect way to ensure the lifespan of your fireplace is as long as possible.
Repairing Fireplace Damage
If you don’t adequately prepare your fireplace for winter, you may find yourself dealing with unsightly and costly damage to your home. Some of the most common forms of fire damage you might encounter due to ill-prepared fireplaces include the following:
- Smoke and soot damage
- Structural damage
- Discoloration
- Water damage
- Indoor air pollution
- And much more
Leaving this damage unattended can make living in your home very difficult or entirely impossible. It is best to reach out to a team of restoration professionals as soon as possible following a fire in your home.
Schedule Fire Damage Restoration with Liberty Restoration
If you didn’t prepare your fireplace for winter and you’re experiencing fire damage in your home, our team at Liberty Restoration is here to help you. With years of experience restoring a wide variety of fire damage to homes across Utah, we are confident that we can restore your home to its former glory.
In addition to fire damage restoration, our team provides asbestos abatement, mold remediation, board up services, and more to homeowners across the state. If you are dealing with fire damage in your home and would like to schedule a restoration, or you have some questions about the additional services we provide, contact our team today.