A roaring fire brings the ultimate comfort factor to your home during chilly winters, but consistent use can create quite a mess in your fireplace. And if left to build up, it becomes a dangerous fire hazard.
Luckily, regular maintenance and cleaning eliminate this risk, so you can enjoy worry-free evenings around the fireplace. Our tips and tricks below help you keep your home safe, sound, and warm.
Fireplace Anatomy
Depending on the type, your fireplace may have all or some of these components:
- Firebox — It’s lined with heat-resistant firebricks and is the main part of the fireplace (i.e., where the fire is built).
- Fireplace insert — This is a generic term for an appliance than can house an electric, gas, bioethanol or real fire within a fire chamber
- Hearth — A non-flammable base on which the fireplace sits, it usually extends 40-45cm outside the firebox and protects your floor from embers and heat.
- Surround — This term is used interchangeably with mantel (see below) .
- Lintel — Located at the top of the firebox, the lintel is a structural component that supports the brickwork above the opening and spreads the chimney load.
- Mantel — The surround in marble, stone or timber that frames the fireplace opening.
- Chimney — A funnel that starts above the fire chamber, extending past the roofline to direct smoke away from your home.
- Flue — Lined with heat- and moisture-resistant material, the flue is the chimney’s internal passageway.
- Chimney cap — It protects the chimney from weather (particularly rain and snow). It sits on top of the chimney and may be decorative.
Look After The Surround Of Your Fireplace
Proper maintenance and cleaning of the fireplace surround is also important, as Stone and marble are just as susceptible to dirt and grime build-up as other home materials.
We have developed our Stone Care Kit to help you clean and protect your fireplace. This kit contains three products for sealing, cleaning, and maintaining your fireplace. Our cleaning and maintenance manual has more information on the care kit’s benefits and how to use it.
Daily and Seasonal Maintenance Tips
Both daily and seasonal maintenance are important for safety and efficiency. The latter is more labour-intensive but is essential for keeping your home free from fire hazards.
Daily Fireplace Cleaning
Use a soft broom or vacuum to remove debris from the hearth and surround, and if you have a glass fronted insert or stove clean the glass with a microfiber cloth and glass cleaner.
Seasonal Fireplace Cleaning Tasks
| Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter | |
| Wood-Burning Fireplaces | Clean out the ash and check the firebox for damage (e.g., cracks, wear, etc.). Deep clean. | Inspect and clean the chimney to eradicate any soot or debris. Schedule a professional inspection to ensure it’s ready for the cold months. | Check the door and flue seals. Stock up on properly seasoned wood. | Remove ash regularly to ensure efficient burning and air circulation. Check for chimney blockages caused by ice or snow. |
| Electric Fireplaces | Dust and inspect for electrical issues. | Test to ensure it’s operating correctly. | Monitor your system for malfunction signs. | |
| Gas Fireplaces | Check and clean the vents and burners. | Check the door and flue seals. Test to ensure it’s operating correctly. | Monitor your system for malfunction signs. |
Cleaning Your Fireplace
While the specifics change according to the type of fireplace, the basics stay the same.
Before following the steps below, make sure you wear old clothing, safety goggles, gloves, and a dust mask to avoid inhaling any soot/ash and cover surrounding surfaces with plastic sheeting or dropcloths:
- Use a fireplace shovel or handheld broom to remove debris like ash and chunks of burnt wood. Use your vacuum to remove dust from the walls and floor.
- Clean the firebox and surround by pouring the cleaning solution into a spray bottle and saturating the firebox, hearth, and surround. Allow it to sit for five minutes before using a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the firebox until it’s clean. Rinse and let dry.
- Clean the firebox and surround it with a cleaning product or solution to thoroughly clean the firebox, hearth, and surround it.
- Scrub the doors with the leftover ash. Dip a damp paper towel into the previously removed ash and scrub the doors. Wipe residue with clean paper towels.
- Wash the andirons and grates with dish soap and water.
If you use the fireplace frequently, aim to clean it once a week. For occasional use, you can get away with a monthly or bi-monthly clean.
Inspecting and Maintaining the Chimney
The smoke and noxious gases (like carbon monoxide) generated during fireplace combustion need somewhere to go — and the function of your chimney is to extract these from your house. But if a chimney becomes blocked by soot, creosote, cobwebs, or bird nests, these harmful gases will end up inside, creating a health and property hazard.
To avoid this, keep an eye out for these blocked chimney signs:
- Smoke fills the room when the fire is lit
- Bad odours come from the chimney when the fireplace isn’t in use
- Visible tar deposits inside the chimney
- Soot drops back into your fireplace
- Fires take a while to start
- Birds’ nests are present
If you notice any of these, it’s time for a professional chimney sweep to visit. They arrive with all the equipment needed to remove any blockages or buildups in your chimney or flue.
Fireplace Safety Precautions
Staying safe when using your fireplace is vital. Follow these tips to ensure health and happiness:
- Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and test them weekly.
- Always burn well-dried, seasoned wood to reduce smoke.
- Open the damper to avoid smoke filling the room.
- Only open the door of a stove when re-fuelling.
How to Maintain a Fireplace, Explained.
By following regular and seasonal cleaning regimes and consistently inspecting for damage, you can maintain the appearance of your fireplace and enjoy a fire for years, ensuring that your appliance continues to function safely and efficiently.