Brrr! Is that Jack Frost nipping at your nose? As the cold fronts start to roll into central Arizona this year, it is important to make sure your fireplace is up to snuff. No matter what holidays you celebrate, the winter season is a time for cozy sweaters, celebration, and warm fires blazing in the family hearth. But if you’re planning to roast some chestnuts over an open fire this holiday season, you should make sure your fireplace receives routine, quality maintenance. Since it is the season of giving, we have compiled some facts and tips to help you keep your fireplace bright and your family safe this winter.
How to Maintain a Fireplace
When deciding how best to maintain your fireplace, the first thing to do is determine what kind of fireplace is installed in your home. The two most common kinds of fireplace heating systems in modern homes are wood burning and gas, and each type of fireplace possesses particular elements that require different maintenance strategies.
Gas fireplaces are considered to be cheaper and easier to maintain than wood burning ones. However, when determining how to clean and maintain gas fireplaces, you should always remember that gas systems still require many checks and periodical cleaning services. Gas fireplaces usually do not accumulate dangerous detritus; however, the vent pipe and other tubing connections within the gas fireplace need to be checked yearly for leaks or damage.
Alternatively, wood burning fireplaces are traditional, produce comforting smells, and are constructed from non-combustible substances. Wood burning fireplaces require you to start your own fires using appropriate materials, and those materials often need to be thoroughly inspected prior to beginning the fire-starting process. However, the wood, paper, sticks, and other materials used to start fires can be difficult to clean after the fact. You may be wondering then, exactly how to maintain a wood-burning fireplace. Wood burning fireplaces are more difficult to maintain than gas fireplaces because you must clean out all unburned logs and materials after the fire has died down, and you should always remove soot and ashes as well. If soot builds up and clogs the chimney, then your wood burning fireplace could become a dangerous fire hazard. It is also important to have your wood burning fireplace regularly inspected by professional chimney cleaners.
Finding a Phoenix Chimney Sweep
Professional chimney cleaners, also called chimney sweeps, should be contacted for regular chimney inspections and cleanings. If you live near Phoenix, fireplaces can be checked on a yearly basis by any number of qualified chimney cleaning services. The Internet is also a good resource for finding a competent, highly-righted chimney sweep in Phoenix. Try Chimney Cricket USA or Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts in the Phoenix area.
Phoenix, AZ Area Movers
Are you moving to Phoenix this winter from some place like Menifee, CA? Or are you a native Arizonan looking to relocate to a new home in the Phoenix area? At Folkestad Moving Services, we pride ourselves on offering quality moving services for our customers. Give us a call at 928-771-2704 to schedule your move today!