Wood Burning Tips

Hearth & Home

Keeping your home fires burning...

Helpful tips about burning wood

Inspect and/or clean your appliance annually

A dirty fireplace and chimney can cause chimney and home fires. It will also inhibit proper venting of smoke up the flue.

Check for maintenance items which need to be tended to such as:

Burn Smartly!

-Seasoned wood burns cleaner than green wood
-Firelogs are less polluting and produce less smoke
-Keep wood stacked, covered and off the ground
-Keep a fire extinguisher on hand at all times
-Build small hot fires, don't add too much fuel at one time
-Be sure the "stocked" fire has had time to reach combustible tempratures before dampering down
-Dont damper too far down
-Replace older more polluting stoves with cleaner burning and more efficient models.

Read your manual! it is full of important information about proper cleaning and maintenance of your fireplace.
Have your heating appliance installed by a professional who will assure your family's safety.

NEVER burn GREEN WOOD, GARBAGE or DRIFTWOOD!
These materials contain cholorides which will rapidly destroy metal surfaces and void your stove's warranty.

-Stove door and window gasketing
-Fire bricks which are cracked and broken and falling
-Metal baffles and grates that are worn or warped
-Check stove body and venting for cracks and holes
-Check roof flashing for areas of possible leaking
-Check masonary for loose mortar or brick & crown seal