As the summer slips away and the nights get cooler, anyone with a fireplace will likely be excited to light the first fire of the season, and enjoy the warmth and coziness that comes with it. If you haven’t given the fireplace’s maintenance a thought since last winter, now is the perfect time to come clean.

Video Highlights: 0:26 Developing Creosote 0:35 Creosote Removers and Control Products 0:48 Fireplace Grates 1:01 Lifetime Fireplace Grate 1:19 FireStarters 1:35 Fatwood 1:56 Rutlands Safe Lite Firestarters 2:34 Fireplace Screens and Doors 2:53 Celebrity Stock Door 3:28 KidCo Configure Gate 3:50 Fireplace Tools 4:13 Fireplace Gloves 4:45 Ash Vacuums 4:58 Ash Buckets 5:03 Check batteries in all Smoke Detectors

A Clean Fireplace is Best

Start with cleaning your chimney and then checking out your gear to make sure that it is good to go. Wood burning fireplaces can develop creosote that should be removed as necessary, and surrounding combustibles should be cleared at least two feet away from the opening. We recommend creosote remover and control products like ACS Creosote remover or Rutland Toss-in creosote removers. They are easy to use and make your fireplace safer and chimney cleanings easier.

Keep Logs from Rolling

Do you use a fireplace grate? How is it holding up from last year? If it shows signs of use like burn through or being warped, I would recommend replacing it now. Better to replace it before you star burning than in the middle of winter when you are going to want to be using your fireplace. I would recommend replacing your old fireplace grate with a lifetime fireplace grate. The unique 1″ wide steel bar design and unheard of Lifetime Guarantee make this the grate that you should be using. The lifetime grates are available in many different sizes to accommodate any size fireplace.

Start fires with ease

Now that you have checked out your grate let’s think about lighting a fire. You don’t want to find out on the first cold night that you want to use your fireplace and are out of fire starters. We offer a variety of fire starters but I want to introduce you to our two most popular: Fatwood and Safelite fire starters.

Fatwood: Made from all natural pine and resins, Fatwood eliminates the need for newspaper or chemicals to light your fire quickly. Fatwood lights easily with a match even when wet, is environmentally friendly, and it smells so good! Available in 4lb, 8lb, 10, & 15lb quantities.

Rutland Safelite Fire Starters: are safe, clean-burning, wax based fire starter squares made with compressed wood chips and recycled wood and paper fiber. These squares light quickly and easily and burn 8-12 minutes- even when wet! They are great to keep on hand year round as well because they are great four uses with charcoal, grills, fireplaces, wood and pellet stoves, even campfires. They are available in 144 & 24 count quantities.

Protect Children and Pets

Are you worried about keeping your children and pets away from the fireplace or hearth? We offer a variety of fireplace screens that not only protect your flooring from popping embers damaging your flooring but they also can keep inquisitive pets and toddlers away as well. If you are looking for a solution that will keep pets and children clear of the hearth all together than take a look at the KidCo Configure gate. This gate provides maximum safety for use around fireplaces of any shape or size. The unique handle design on the extra wide door applies magnet-lock technology, a dual magnet design that automatically draws the door closed and guarantees it locks each and every time!

Increase the Efficiency of the Fireplace

We also offer a large selection of fireplace doors. We offer custom fireplace doors but also have quick ship stock size doors available like the attractive celebrity door that I have here on my fireplace. The charming picture frame design and fine textured black coloring of the Celebrity Fireplace Door accentuates the beauty and appeal of flickering flames and glowing embers in any fireplace style. Crafted of aluminum extrusion, this enclosure has 4″ wide picture frame top and side panels and a bottom panel air draft control. The full swing bi-fold trackless doors with 1/4″ tempered bronze colored glass (with Lifetime Warranty), fully open and can lay flush with the door allowing for a safe, unobstructed, hearth area. The Celebrity fireplace door is available in 8 sizes and comes complete with a mesh curtain already installed for your convenience.

Tend to the fire like a Pro

Let’s talk now about tending to your fire. You should always be using fireplace tools for the safest and easiest tending to your fire. Check out your tool set does it include the necessities; tongs, a poker, a shovel, and a broom? If you are using your fireplace on a regular basis you will not want to be without these tools. We offer tool sets in a variety of sizes, styles, and finish’s. We even have hearth racks with tool sets right on them for those who have a compact hearth area. In addition to a good tool set I would make sure that you have a good pair of fireplace gloves handy. They are important for protecting your hands and arms from the heat and fire while you are tending to your fire. We have a variety of lengths of fireplace gloves and even have a pair that is designed for a woman’s hands.

Keep it Clean and Tidy

If you’re going to be using your fireplace you’re going to be cleaning up after it. An ash vacuum is a handy way to keep the ashes under control around your hearth. Always make sure the ashes are cool when cleaning your fireplace. If you do not have or want an ash vacuum, invest in a good ash bucket to remove or store your ashes.