There is solace to be had with a fire in the fireplace. We light fires for warmth, but we can’t neglect the fact that we get lost in the hypnotizing glow and crackle of the flame. I can sit in front of a fire in the fireplace for hours on end, and I’m not sure if that’s a little odd, or just down-right romantic. Just the same, I’m at ease because I have taken all precautions in keeping the chimney clean. Before you hunker down for the cold months ahead, here are a couple precautionary measures to take before lighting your next fire in the fireplace.
At the beginning of each season, you should always have your chimney swept. Depending on the amount of use your fireplace had the previous season, I give some very helpful fireplace cleaning tips here. Although I am a DIYer at heart, I do always call a professional chimney sweep in the fall to give my chimney a good cleaning. With that, I compliment the mechanical sweeping by burning a Pine Mountain Creosote Buster log.
Creosote is a flammable oily liquid mixture of compounds obtained by the distillation of tar derived from wood. In other words, this stuff is given off when wood is burned in the fireplace, and then affixes to the walls of the chimney. No way around it really folks, but by following proper precautionary measures, you can rest assured that you can safely burn and enjoy cozy fires in the fireplace for the season ahead. You can buy the creosote buster logs here.
Here’s how you do it: start a fire in your fireplace as you normally would, with a crumbled piece of newspaper and a couple small logs. Once the fire has burned a few minutes, add the Creosote Buster Log and let that burn to clean the chimney.
Pine Mountain is the brand that I highly recommend. Burn one creosote log the beginning of the season (now), and then it wouldn’t hurt to burn another one, if you have burned a high number of fires in the fireplace, again around mid-February. An added insurance policy, if you will, on keeping your fireplace clean and copacetic.
I’ve done the research for you, now it’s your turn to follow through. Go ahead and book your chimney sweep appointment, and follow through with burning a Pine Mountain Creosote Log. Keep your home and family safe during the cold wintery months.
**This post is sponsored by Pine Mountain Creosote Logs. All fiery and warm opinions are my own. This is a product I highly recommend.
Alice Carroll says
Thanks for explaining how creosote forms on the walls of my chimney. I’d like to get chimney cleaning services soon because I want to be able to work on getting a new fireplace installed. Being able to find the right professionals for its maintenance would be very important in the long run.