So, how do you increase draft and flow in your chimney? Can a fire be too big for a fireplace? 
Heres a quick rundown of each and their advantages and disadvantages: #1 Clay tile liners are the most common type of masonry chimney liners. Additionally, you should never stack wood higher than your fireplace opening. If the ash in your fireplace is so deep that its touching the bottom of your grate, it can cause the grate to burn out prematurely. Yellow flame logs require venting (hence why theyre often called vented logs), while blue flame logs may be approved for use without a venting system. 3. Seasoned wood wood that will make a good fire, put out a lot of heat, and create little creosote will have a moisture content around 15-25%. Check out the video below for more on how draft and flow work in the chimney system. Clean any soot, grease or dust from the fire brick that is to be repaired allow brick to dry before beginning the repair. Shoot us an email at office@csia.org. As older homes are made tighter to improve energy efficiency and many newer homes are being built tighter for that same reason, in some cases, theres inefficient air to allow the fireplace to operate properly. This is also where youll find detailed instructions on how to turn on the pilot light for your particular appliance if it is off and does not rely on automatic ignition. Mason-lite firebrick panels are lightweight durable panels that are prefabricated and then installed on-site. On top of that, creosote is a carcinogenic, its smelly (especially when mixed with the humidity that comes with the summer months in some parts of the country), and its corrosive and damaging to the chimney system. #7 Schedule routine inspections and cleanings. Creosote is a deposit made of unburned wood particles and its highly flammable. Thats why we put together this Ultimate Guide to Using Your Fireplace. #4 Build a top-down fire and preheat the flue. Lastly, if you want your hearth appliance to continue operating at peak efficiency and safety levels, keep up with routine inspections and cleanings. Having a qualified professional look at and maintain your chimney reduces the risk of chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote buildup or chimney obstructions. Repeat this for the back wall, sliding in the bricks from the right side all the way to the far left back corner underneath the metal flange that holds the bricks in place. Chimney liners serve three main functions: There are different types of chimney liners out there. Your particular appliance may be designed for a standing or continuous pilot light, which means you will leave the gas and pilot light on all year. And because carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, you could reach lethal levels of exposure without you even noticing anything was happening. When you burn wood in your fireplace or stove, theres one thing you can be sure of: youll be left with ash. And of course, nothing beats the crackle and flame of a real wood fire. The best way to know which type of gas fireplace, stove, or insert you have is to check your manufacturers instructions. Hardwoods (beech, hickory, mahogany, maple, oak, teak, walnut) are denser, so youll get more heat per volume. Use an old paintbrush and vacuum to sweep the joints clean. 2000-2022 Home Depot. For tips on choosing and storing firewood, check out the Ultimate Guide to Firewood. How long after a fire should you wait to close the damper? Copyright Masonry Fireplace Industries, Inc. Two new burner options: Opalescence and Virginiana, International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida, Wishing you a Happy Holidays from Masonry Fireplace Industries, Masonry Fireplaces Compared to Metal Fireplaces, What Are Included in Modular Fireplace Kits, Top 3 Questions about Masonry Pizza Ovenswith Answers by Celebrity Chef, Difference between air-cooled pipe and insulated pipe. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Firewood to answer all your questions about what you can and cannot burn in your fireplace. In general, softwoods (pine, cedar, redwood, spruce, douglas fir) are easier to split, they dry faster, and theyre easier to light and get going but theyre lighter, so youll need more soft wood than you would hardwood to get the same amount of heat. When you purchase firewood, youll want to split it and use a moisture meter to check the moisture content inside the wood. If the hearth area was designed to have the wall bricks installed first, then follow the steps listed for installing the firebricks for the wall and then install the floor. Airtight and efficient wood stoves include a lining of firebrick inside the hearth area of the wood stove. Youll want to remove all the ash in your fireplace or woodstove at the end of the heating season. Finish up the right interior wall by continuing to install the bricks in a clockwise direction with the last brick installed on your right in the front. Then, at the very top, add your tinder (wood shavings). Well, youll be letting all that warmth you created exit through the chimney and all the cool air from outside enter your home. Water Mason-Lite firebrick panels truly make your fireplace an enjoyable part of your home. As air is pulled in, soot from the chimney comes in with it. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Keep your chimney clean and free of excessive creosote and soot buildup. Chimney dampers are typically easy to open and close, but because of where some of the handles are located, its always best to double check that your damper is opened before you light a fire in the fireplace. Carbon monoxide is deadly, so its not worth the risk. Instead, you should be able to see the tips of the flames in your fireplace. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), Enjoy your fireplace and keep your home safe using by learning how to clean a fireplace, 36 in.
Clean up by scraping the excess mortar off of the brick faces and then wipe immediately with a damp sponge. When you get the eyes of a pro on your chimney system, youll know if something isnt right with your chimney because theyll tell you. Dig out the deteriorated mortar until the joint is about to inches deep and the brick surface on both sides of the joint are mortar free. Furniture should be at least 36 from your fireplace or woodstove. Fireplaces, stoves, and their venting systems are not designed to have any sort of gasoline, kerosene, or petroleum-based oil products in them. Atlanta, GAAustin, TXCamarillo, CACharlotte, NCCorona, CADallas, TXHouston, TXPhoenix, AZ. Hotter air is lighter, so it has more pull. #2 Metal chimney liners, usually of stainless steel or aluminum, are primarily used to upgrade and repair existing chimneys. Earlier we talked about how to build a top-down fire. By working as a shield to protect your fireplace unit from dangerous temperatures the firebrick panel helps preserve your fireplace from damage and prevents possible fire hazards. #1 Follow your manufacturers instructions for use. You can burn both softwood and hardwood in your fireplace, insert, or stove but you should know the differences and when one is preferred over the other.
When todays tight homes need makeup air, the easiest way to get it is often through the chimney. 4. Bring Us to Your Turf With the CSIA Roadshow, Sponsor a Class, Make a Donation, or Advertise With Us. Always check the manufacturers instructions so you know how many consecutive hours your particular appliance is designed to be used. We aim to provide you with comprehensive Homeowner Resources. The fire sits atop the firebrick and the firebrick absorbs the heat of the fire through the day and evening, releasing it slowly through the night. Placing the wood with the ends at the front and back allows the air to mix well with the fuel, instead of only hitting the broad side of the wood as it would if it were placed parallel to the fireplace or stove opening.Step 3: Stack 4-5 slightly smaller levels of wood on top of the first layer. 
Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. Can you pour water in a fireplace? But how do you increase the efficiency of your woodstove, insert, or wood-burning fireplace? The answer is no. 4. What makes top-down fires great is that they warm your flue up faster, so that by the time your fire is really blazing, your flue is primed and ready to swiftly move the smoke up and out of the chimney. Properly store firewood and always season your firewood (or buy it seasoned). Most newer wood stoves are made of steel and lined with firebrick inside. You may be able to tell if your chimney needs cleaning by looking up inside the flue with a flashlight. If you can see all the way up the flue to the top of the chimney, then the damper is open. So, its still important to have your gas fireplace chimney inspected annually and your gas fireplace cleaned as needed. Plus, this meeting of water and heat could cause the wood to dangerously pop and will create steam that could easily burn you and others close to the fireplace. Youll also find great features on newer appliances like temperature control and blowers, for more evenly distributed heat throughout your space. If they recommend that you leave the fireplace doors open when your gas fireplace is in use, leave the fireplace doors open. If the brick has broken into more than one piece, apply a layer of cement along one edge of the break and push the pieces firmly back together. Follow the pattern to finish out the floor of the fire box, working from the front to back. Creosote is dangerous because of its flammable, corrosive properties, and if its left to accumulate in your chimney, it can cause a chimney fire and cause damage to your flue liner. If something went wrong and your heating appliance started pushing carbon monoxide into your air supply instead of venting it up through the chimney, you might not hear the carbon monoxide detector if you were asleep. But it does go against what most of us have been taught. But how do you get the most from your wood-burning appliance? You should not, however, use a Duraflame log in a woodstove. #1 How often should you clean the ashes from your fireplace? #3 Is there a safe way to remove hot embers and ash from your fireplace or woodstove? When building a fire, you never want the wood to fill the whole fireplace. #2 Can you go to bed with embers in the fireplace or with a fire in the fireplace? Duraflame logs are okay to use in your fireplace and are CSIA Accepted Productswhen used according to the manufacturers instructions. There are two basic types of gas logs currently on the market: yellow flame and blue flame. Make sure your chimney liner is properly sized for your appliance and free of damaged areas that could cause friction. with a lightweight masonry fireplace. All Rights Reserved. For more firewood tips (including how to store your firewood), check out our Ultimate Guide to Firewood. Mason-lite firebrick panels not only protect your fireplace from damage or fire hazards but also reflect heat from the fireplace into the living space and add a classic look to your fireplace.
Each prefabricated fireplace, stove, and insert is designed and tested by the manufacturer to be used in specific ways and under specific conditions. But keep in mind, if you leave a large amount of ash in your woodstove, it will reduce the volume of fuel that can be added to the firebox, resulting in smaller fires. The easiest way to figure out what you should and shouldnt do with your gas appliance is to refer to your manufacturers instructions or manual. Soot typically comes down through the chimney because of backdrafts and downdrafts. Burn hotter fires. Place a dropcloth around the wood stove to avoid having an extra mess to clean up. Still, burning neither aluminum cans nor salt will clean your chimney. Schedule annual chimney inspections and cleanings as needed. The use of real firebrick in our panels gives you a genuine masonry firebrick lining for your Mason-lite Fireplace. 5. If you are installing bricks to fit inside a wood stove not meant for firebricks, the best you can do is install the floor area, as you will have no means without welding experience and tools for installing the firebricks on the side wall. Disadvantages: These liners can be challenging to install and cost can be a deterrent. Complete this row working from right to left. Budgeting for Chimney Care: Your Cost Guide, The Ultimate Guide to Firewood & What You Can & Cant Burn in Your Fireplace, Chimney Anatomy 101: How to Tell Which Type of Chimney/Fireplace You Have, Chimney Sweeping Logs: Your Questions Answered, Chimney Leaks: What to Do If You Have One & How to Prevent Them, Gas & Oil Furnace Chimneys: What You Need to Know, 5 Things You Can Do to Help Your Chimney & Fireplace, Carbon Monoxide & Your Home: What You Need to Know, The Facts About Chimney Fires: Your Questions Answered, Why & How to Become a Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician. You can find one in your local area right here. Wipe any excess cement from the brick. Lighter fluids and the like create an uncontrollable burn, which is dangerous and can also be very damaging to your heating appliance and chimney. So, when you build a top-down fire, its easier to start your fire and theres less smoke. Mix a small batch of mortar according the mortar directions and apply to the brick in line with the joint pack into the joint with a tuck-pointing trowel. Scrape out the loose mortar. While creosote is always a byproduct of wood combustion, there are some things you can do to reduce the amount of creosote that gets left behind in your chimney system. Here are a few tips: For more info on carbon monoxide, why its so dangerous, and how you can protect your family against the threat of CO poisoning, check out Carbon Monoxide & Your Home: What You Need to Know. Brenner graduated from San Diego's Coleman College. Stand the remaining firebricks on end lengthwise to fit under the angled ridge to hold them in place along the interior wall. We get the question Is it safe to leave a gas fireplace on all night? a lot. There should be space between the wood and each of the fireplace walls, and your firewood should never be stacked to the top of the fireplace opening. Detergent Electric Fireplace Insert with Overheating Protection 750-Watt/1500-Watt, Black, 22 in. How do you know if your gas fireplace is leaking it into you air supply if its odorless, colorless, and tasteless? That said, if youre ever in a situation where you need to remove them before theyve cooled, do so carefully using a sturdy fireplace shovel and a non-combustible container with a sealable lid. Supplies Needed: If theres one thing we want you to take away from this fireplace guide, its that you should always refer to your appliances manual. You should still schedule annual inspections and chimney cleanings when needed. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home and check batteries in the spring and fall. Well, were here to help. If they recommend the doors be closed, keep them closed. Why & When Should You Hire a Chimney Sweep? For all the basics on operating your appliance, refer to the manual that came with your fireplace, stove, or insert. Not all chimneys need to be cleaned every year. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, stove, or insert, youre in luck. Proud to be the #1 choice among architects, designers and builders since 1989. The firebrick panels compliment your fireplace by efficiently reflecting the heat into the living space, reducing the heat needed from your primary heat source. Many have great EPA ratings and provide cleaner burns, which means more heat, less smoke, and a guilt-free fireside experience. Rake out the joint with the scoring tool start gently, probing for areas that are loose. If there are smaller bricks, you want them in the middle between the two longer bricks on the floor of the firebox. What Is a Chimney Inspection & Why Do You Need One Every Year? Keep your damper fully open when you have a fire going in your fireplace. Another perk of having one of these fireplaces, stoves, or inserts is that fuel is always affordable and plentiful. You may be able to adjust the heat setting and flame height for your gas fireplace, stove, or insert right from the remote control, if it came with one. This method is a light it and youre done method, which means no more worrying about larger pieces of wood falling on the struggling new fire. Gas fireplaces, stoves, and inserts have become incredibly popular through the years, and we know why. Advantages: These liners are inexpensive, readily available, and perform quite well for open fireplace chimneys that are properly maintained. Place the brick that fits next to the one previously laid. It depends on the type of gas fireplace you have. The only difference between the air pressure in your chimney and the pressure in a water hose is that the air pressure in your chimney is negative and the water pressure in a hose is positive think of using a straw to drink instead of using it to blow bubbles. Lay the first firebrick lengthwise in front of you abutted to the left wall flat on the bottom of the fire box. Well, when youre finished building your fire, there should still be space between the firebox walls and the wood. Thats why its always best to close the damper whenever your fireplace is not in use. Should you remove ash after every fire? // Leaf Group, University of Missouri Extension: Wood Stoves and Their Installation, Woodstove Heat.org: Maintenance of Modern Stoves, Fireplaces, Inserts, Furnaces and Boilers. Use your fireplace, stove, or insert as designed. Soot, a powder-like deposit resulting from woodburning, should also be routinely swept from your chimney. The alkaline nature of ash combined with moisture can be very destructive to both masonry fireplaces, factory-built fireplaces, woodstoves, and inserts. Some gas fireplaces are designed to rely on a standing or continuous pilot light, which means the pilot light will stay on all year, even in the spring and summer when the fireplace isnt being used. At Mason-Lite, we want our customers to be able to enjoy their fireplace for years to come.