tipsforstartingafire

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Tips for Using Your Fireplace

Here are some guidelines on how to minimize safety issues and smoking problems, and have an enjoyable fireplace experience.

	Open your damper. If necessary, shine a flashlight up inside your fireplace to make sure the damper is fully open.
	Clear the area around the fireplace opening. Remove any combustible material including your firewood away from the front of the fireplace.
	Place your fire grate as far back in the fireplace as possible. This reduces the possibility of a smoking problem and the heated backwall reflects more heat into the room

Ingredients for your fire...

	Tinder. If you have a log lighter, definitely use it. If not, use fire starters, fatwood, crumpled newspaper and small twigs.
	Kindling. Large twigs, small branches and small splits of wood that are roughly ¼" to 1" in thickness.
	Fuel. Use well seasoned hard and/or softwood that is split, dry and stacked away from the house for up to a year.

Starting the Fire

	Warm up the flue. Light one end of a rolled up newspaper and hold it in the damper area for about 10-15 seconds to help establish a good draft in the chimney.
	Arrange 2 small pieces of firewood on the fire grate with some tinder between the logs.
	Cover the tinder with a generous amount of kindling wood.
	Place 1 to 2 more small pieces of firewood on top of the kindling, and two more at right angles with an air space in between for air circulation.
	Light the tinder and enjoy your fire!

Hold the Flame in the Damper Area to Prime the Flue

Still having smoking problems? Please visit our Smoking Problems Page.

Always make sure to have your chimney inspected and swept before using your fireplace!

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