East Coast Energy of Monmouth County offers helpful tips to consider when it comes time to getting your fireplace ready for winter use
Whether you have a wood-burning or gas fireplace, it is important to properly prepare it for the fall and winter seasons to ensure both the fireplace's functionality and your safety. Accidents involving fireplaces can be a major cause of home fires, but most of these fires can be prevented. East Coast Energy of Monmouth County offers helpful tips to consider when it comes time to getting your fireplace ready for winter use. Most of the simple inspections and cleaning can be done by the average homeowner. However, if you have any doubt at all, contact your local fireplace installer or chimney sweep.
A Monmouth County Wood-burning Fireplace Must: Cleaning
Have the chimney cleaned before starting to use your wood-burning fireplace, stove or insert. The leading cause of fires from wood-burning appliances is the result of creosote (unburned fuel) that has accumulated in the chimney.
Have any gasket material inspected and replaced as required, such as the gasket sealing the door, the door glass and in some cases the ash dump. If an airtight appliance is operated without these gaskets effectively sealing the openings, excess air can leak into the firebox, creating an over-fire condition, which may permanently damage the appliance.
Replace any broken or deteriorated brick lining in the wood-burning appliance. While cracks in the lining are not a concern, if the brick lining is deteriorated to the point that the steel body is exposed, the heat from the fire can cause permanent damage to the appliance.
Gas-burning: Important to have a Monmouth county fireplace qualified technician
You can have your appliance serviced by a qualified East Coast Energy, Monmouth County technician. A properly maintained fireplace can look as new as the day it was installed, and a proper cleaning can help prevent permanent damages from occurring. Even the glass must be cleaned annually to keep it looking clear. Like a car engine, the combustion systems of gas fireplaces are affected by dust, and even insects can impair their performance. The airways of both the pilot and main burners should be regularly cleaned to ensure that they are operating correctly and a general inspection of the entire system including the safety controls is also beneficial.
Maintenance for both types of fireplaces:
Clean the blower if your wood- or gas-burning appliance is equipped with one. Unlike your furnace blower, these blowers do not have a filtering system to prevent the buildup of dust and hair on the blower. As the dust accumulates
on the blower blades, the balance of the blower will change, causing premature wearing of the bearings. The dust also insulates the motor; preventing it from being cooled and can eventually cause the motor to cease
up. Replace the batteries in any optional remote transmitters and in some cases, in the receiver as well. Even when not being used, the power held in a battery is slowly depleted.
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