Video Highlights:
0:19 Step 1: Clean your chimney
0:27 DIY chimney cleaning
0:54 Step 2: Check the inside of your fireplace
1:10 Repairing cracks in the mortar
1:21 Step 3: Inspect your chimney cap
1:28 Reasons for a Chimney Cap
1:55 Step 4: Spruce up your hearth
2:06 Cleaning your fireplace
2:36 Special Promotion
Spending time in front of a roaring fire on a crisp fall evening is definitely one of life’s greatest pleasures. Sure it is still reasonably warm outside right now, but that first winter cold snap is unfortunately just around the corner. Is your fireplace prepared to warm your home safely this burning season? I am Melissa from NorthlineExpress here with 4 steps to get your fireplace ready for winter.
Step 1: Clean your chimney. Good fireplace care starts with the chimney, since it holds the flue that channels smoke safely up and out of your home. Even though there is a romantic appeal to the thought of inviting a colorful Dick van Dyke – esque character to your home you can bypass the sweep’s services, and save some cash, by taking care of cleaning your chimney yourself. However, if you think something may not be right with your fireplace, have a professional technician come in to look at it, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Step 2: Check The Inside of your fireplace. After years of searing-hot blazes, fireplace mortar can crack, crumble, and fall out leaving behind gaping mortar joints. Not only are these gaps unattractive; they leave your fire bricks more vulnerable to damage and make cleaning up your firebox harder. With some refractory mortar and a couple hours, you can replace any mortar that has deteriorated. So before wood-burning season starts, examine the condition of the mortar in the firebox.
Step 3: Check your Chimney Cap. Look to see whether your chimney has an exterior steel cap. If not, you had better get one installed ASAP. The cap covers the chimney not only to keep birds and other animals, rain, or snow out of the flue, but also to keep sparks in. This prevents flying sparks from setting your roof on fire. This would also be the opportune time to replace a worn out chimney cap so that you are not having to in the dead of winter.
Step 4: Spruce up Your Hearth. Now that you have cleaned your chimney, checked your chimney cap, & inspected the firebrick inside your fireplace you are ready to spruce up your hearth with a good cleaning. If there is glass on front of your fireplace, you will probably have to clean it to remove and soot deposits. If your fireplace has louvers or grilles on the front, it’s designed to circulate air around the combustion area. This means that whatever is in the air near the fireplace, including dust and pet hair, will be pulled into that area. Cleaning this area regularly will help keep your fan working and prevent dust from building up. Also take this time to clean out your firebox of any ash. An ash vacuum and a quart of heart cleaner will have your fireplace looking brand new in no time at all.
To help you get your hearth ready for the burning season we have a special offer for you. Use promo code 2014PREP to save $20 on your next purchase of $299 or more at NorthlineExpress.com. This promotion is valid November 10th through November 16th so take advantage of this offer and head over to NorthlineExpress.Com to get your $20 Savings. It is another great promotion from NorthlineExpress home of the buy and try satisfaction guarantee.