Enjoying Your Fireplace
The fireplace is often the focal point of the living room, being a source of heat and part of the decor. To safely enjoy your fireplace, here are some fireplace essentials that will come in handy.
A Screen is One of the Fireplace Essentials
The primary purpose of a fire screen is to shield your home from flames, embers, and sparks. It allows you to enjoy an open hearth while keeping the fire contained. Embers are dangerous because they can start fires if they land on flammable surfaces like carpets and furniture. A screen also keeps soot and ash safely in the fireplace instead of on nearby flooring.
Fireplace Tongs
Tending a fire often involves shifting and rearranging the logs to keep the flames burning longer. Tongs are useful tools, as they extend your reach and allow you to move the burning logs safely and with relative ease.
Pokers are Fireplace Essentials
Otherwise known as a stoker or fire iron, a poker is essential to tend the fire. The fire iron is useful for adjusting logs to maximize airflow and to help the flame burn longer. Purchase a version of this tool that has an insulated handle. It will go a long way in protecting you from being burned by fire or hot metal.
Fireplace Shovel & Brush
Soot and ash will build up after several fires, creating a mess and impacting the flow of oxygen in your fireplace. A regular broom is too large to properly clean the firebox, plus, it may melt. Have a fire shovel and brush nearby to remove the ash from the inside of the fireplace.
Be very careful when removing ash, as it is a messy job. Allow for the fireplace to cool at least 24 hours before you clean it and scoop the ash into a metal bucket.
Tool Storage
Don’t leave your tools lying around cluttering the hearth. Store them near your fireplace so they will always be within reach. Tool storage doesn’t have to be fancy; a modest stand is adequate.
When you’re enjoying a fire, have access to a fire extinguisher and make sure there are working smoke detectors installed in your home. If a fire were to start outside your fireplace, you only have seconds to act. Know how to operate the extinguisher and regularly check it to verify that it’s in good working order.
Appalachian Inspection Services provides home inspections in Asheville, Buncombe County, and the surrounding areas of Western North Carolina. Contact us to schedule an appointment.