Fireplace Accessories Advisor

Archive for the ‘Fireplace FAQ’ Category

A Brief Look at Fireplaces

Fireplaces have been around for hundreds of years, providing heat to homes during the cold season. In addition to heating, fireplaces can also be adapted to provide cooking facilities. Fireplace used to rely on wood and coal as fuel, but now more and more households have gas and electrical fireplaces installed. In spite of the many different kinds of heating sources available today, fireplaces have not been forgotten. The reason is probably that there is so much more about them than just their practical use.

Two Kinds of Warmth

It has rightfully been said that fireplaces light the heart as well as the body. Indeed, the feeling of safety and coziness they give has not been paralleled by any other element in the construction of the home. The double meaning of “hearth” — as the foundation of the fireplace and a symbol of one’s home or native area is exemplifying. The heat flowing into the room, the glow of the embers, and the flickering shadows they cast all combine to create a magical atmosphere, one that invites people to gather in front of the fire and talk whisperingly.

Lighting the Fire

All well and good, but fire does not come of itself. There are several kinds of ignition systems available for fireplaces, but some people say theyll never be able to beat the classic matchsticks. With the exception of gas fireplaces, which normally have a sealed screen that makes access to the firebox difficult, and electric fireplaces, which do not rely on flames at all, the other kinds will often be lit up with the help of the old matchstick. Matchboxes themselves are so varied that you are most likely to choose one based on aesthetic criteria. You can even have your own custom made matchsticks, though that might be a little bit exaggerated — after all, you just burn them.

Matchstick Accessories

You’ll have to keep the fireplace matches somewhere, and the best way to do that is to have a holder specifically designed for matchsticks. Again, many different shapes and styles are available, and they are all relatively inexpensive. Some people even have collections of matchstick holders, or at least several holders that they use by rotation. All you have to do is check the Internet and you’ll easily find a design that matches your expectations.

People have been preoccupied with creating fire since prehistoric times, but it wasn’t until a few centuries ago that they started looking for a way to ease the process. Many attempts were made to come up with portable devices that could produce sparks and fire. From the invention of the self-igniting match by K. Chancel in 1805 to the first cigarette lighter invented by Johann Wolfgang Dbereiner in 1823, and Carl Auer von Welsbachs striking-wheel lighter from 1823, people have been researching on ways to make fire lighting easier. Today, we no longer have to worry about that. We do, however, have to know what we are looking for when trying to find a good lighter kit for our fireplace.

Installation

The safest choice, of course, is to let a certified professional do the job. In many cases, fireplace ignition relies on the use of a gas line that goes inside the firebox. The press of a button or turning of a knob can produce a spark and release some gas, which will start the fire. The fireplace lighter kit itself is inexpensive, but you have to take into account the installation cost as well.

Minding Your Pennies

There are many different fireplace lighters available for fireplaces. If your fireplace didn’t include a fireplace lighter when you purchased it, you can always buy a separate ignition kit for it. Make sure you do a bit of research to become familiar with the features offered by various models, so that you can make a well-advised choice based not only on the price, but also on the technical characteristics and the safety offered by each fireplace lighter.

Safety Considerations

Safety is especially important if you have children. You should be careful not to choose an ignition system that will make it possible for your child to accidentally start the fire. On the other hand, the fireplace lighter should be easy enough to operate, so that when the child is old enough to use it — under your supervision, of course — they wont have much trouble learning how it works.

Have you decided to build your own fireplace? As you probably know, you need more than just gathering your tools and rolling up your sleeves: you need a plan. But once you know what the construction involves, things shouldn’t be too complicated.

The fireplace itself is actually the last thing to build: the first two modules you have to pay attention to are the hearth and the chimney. Things are easier if you have opted for gas as fuel, because then you’ll only need the fireplace, some vents and an airtight screen in front; no foundation and no chimney are required there. But for solid fuel, the three modules mentioned above are very important. Let’s have a look at each of them.

Phase One: The Hearth

In the past, fireplaces were built together with the home, so all the elements needed for the installation were in place from the start. Modern homes, however, do not typically include a hearth and a chimney. You should check the blueprints of your home to see if there is any particular place that is specially suitable for these. Don’t forget to get the necessary building permits from the local authorities. After that, you can start with the hearth. Again, this applies to solid fuel fireplaces, not to ones where gas is used. The hearth should be resistant to fire and built in such a way as to contain the fire and protect the rest of the house.

Phase Two: The Chimney

If your home already has a chimney, you should first have it inspected to make sure its safe to use. Ask a chimney sweep to have a look at it and run a smoke test, or at least to instruct you on how to clean it. Find out if you should have a flue installed as well. Also, make sure you talk with your neighbors about your intention to put the chimney back into operation — some of them may not like the idea of smoke in their proximity.

Phase Three: The Fireplace

It’s time for the fireplace to be installed. You’ll have to decide if you want to have it built of stone, brick, brass or steel, and then choose a design that goes well with your room. Then it’s time for the finishing touches, when you add the mantel and the screen. You can buy ready-made ones, or have them customized to your taste. There you have it: your cozy fireplace can now start warming your home.

From Olden Days

Wood has been around since the beginning. Plentifully available and easy to work with, wood was the first fuel people used. Later on, coal was discovered, and after that more efficient sources of energy came to be used.

Accustomed with gas and electricity, we now look at wood condescendingly — but not in every aspect. While its efficiency is surpassed by newer methods of producing heat, wood has other qualities that newer heating agents lack.

Leaving aside efficiency and convenience, there’s nothing like the atmosphere of a wood fireplace. The logs burning in the fire, and later the embers casting a reddish glow around them, create the magical atmosphere so often associated with the presence of a fireplace in the room.

Wood Fireplaces Today

You wont have to look in salvage yards and antique shops if you want to buy a wood fireplace. Most manufacturers still make this type of fireplace in response to the still very high demand for them.

New construction methods are making it easier to integrate a wood fireplace into your home even if it doesn’t already have a chimney, while various accessories increase the efficiency of the fireplace, allowing more of the heat to reach the room and even routing it to other rooms in the house.

As for styles, there is no difference between wood fireplaces and newer kinds. The fireplace mantel and screen are the most visible parts, and they can be customized to gracefully match the existing decor of the room regardless of the fuel being used.

Like most other kinds, wood fireplaces have a modular design; that makes it easy to replace some parts, such as the hearth or the firebox, without changing anything about the others.

Installation and Support

You can either install a wood fireplace yourself or hire a professional do the job. The latter option is more desirable, of course, since a fireplace specialist has good knowledge of many issues that most of us are not even aware of. But even if you decide to do it yourself, or if you experience any kind of problems with your wood fireplace, youre still safe: most companies provide high-quality customer service.

Fireplaces are normally unused during summer days. To prevent dust from getting inside your fireplace during the periods when there is no fire, you can resort to a fireplace cover. A fireplace cover will save you the time and effort you would otherwise have to spend before the winter, when you start using the fireplace again. Another use of fireplace covers would be that of protecting children from hurting themselves with tools such as pokers or from being injured by contact with the protruding parts of the fireplace screen.

More on the Necessity of Fireplace Covers

Dust gathers in all unused places, especially in spring and summer. The trouble with fireplaces is that they are not so easy to clean, so you will want to do your best in order to prevent dust from entering them when they’re not in use. In addition to lowering the performance of the fireplace when you start using them again, lighting up the fire for the first time can also cause the burning dust to release an unpleasant smell in the room. Thus, it is recommended that you either clean the fireplace regularly during the warm season or, if cleaning is not your hobby, that you use a fireplace cover to protect the space inside the fireplace.

Hard and Soft Fireplace Covers

Fireplace covers can be either soft or hard. Synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon are normally used for soft fireplace covers due to their resistance to adverse weather and their proven effectiveness in preventing injuries. However, as far as safety is concerned, glass fireplace covers are probably even better.

Purchasing a Fireplace Cover

Prices for fireplace covers differ widely: some are as cheap as $20, others go up to $100. Material and size usually influence the price. Many people often choose soft fireplace covers because they are less expensive, though the price/effectiveness ratio of glass fireplace covers should make them more attractive. Any type, however, is likely to increase the life span of your fireplace by keeping it clean, and it will also contribute to the safety of your children.

Fireplaces are not only an element of the interior, though that may be the traditional image attached to them. If your home has a garden, you might want to consider installing a garden fireplace. A garden fireplace will make your garden an even more attractive place to spend time with your family and guests. It wont be long before your barbecues gather fame in the neighborhood.

A Closer Look at Garden Fireplaces

The mere fact of having a garden already makes your house look more attractive. Moreover, the garden provides a corner of vegetation where you can retreat, a patch of nature where you can spend some time undisturbed.

Installing a fireplace in the garden will not only set your visitors into a state of admiring contemplation, but it will also make it possible for you to enjoy the beauty of your corner of nature for a longer time during the year. All you have to do is light the fire, and you won’t have to worry about the chilly air anymore.

The most commonly used materials in the construction of fireplaces are bricks, concrete, and stone. However, fireplace companies often have innovative fireplaces made from surprising materials. If you want to add a modern look to your garden, you should check out their offer. As in the case of interior fireplaces, there are many design options available for garden fireplaces, so you are very likely to find a model that suits your taste.

Unlike inside the home, you have no constraints as to the size of the fireplace if you build it in the garden. Moreover, since youre building the garden fireplace in an open space, there is no need to make any changes to any existing structures. Space is plentifully available, and the location depends only on your preference.

Speaking about location, fireplaces need not be fixed. Some fireplaces are portable, so you can install them in one place and then move them somewhere else. They are usually made of some metallic material and there are some models that operate on gas, although most of the time the fuel is wood or coal. The only problem is, you wont have that stone mantel and chimney that gives such a majestic look to your garden.

Moving the Center

With a fireplace in the garden, you are likely to spend more time outdoors. Soon, the central area of your home in terms of coziness and comfort will move into your garden.

The word “fireplace” triggers in our minds the idea of warmth and coziness. There is, however, a dark side to them as well — literally dark. Dust and soot can gather in the fireplace more than anywhere else. In the absence of an effective screen, the area around the fireplace can also be affected. Regular fireplace cleaning is obviously necessary, but attention should be paid to the actual methods and tools.

Tools

If you already have a fireplace or you’ve read about them before, you probably know that it is made up of several modules, each of them consisting of many different parts. Anyone who has cleaned their fireplace once will be able to tell you that the inside of the fireplace is the most challenging when it comes to cleaning. The logs, the various installations inside the fireplace, the screen, the surrounds — each of these requires cleaning in a certain way. You should check the manual or instructions that came with your fireplace or ask a professional in order to know exactly what substance or tool to use for each part.

The Chimney

Of course, there’s more than just the hearth, fireplace, and surrounds. The chimney requires regular inspection and maintenance. You can use, for instance, special logs that release cleaning vapors up the chimney. Seek a professional chimney sweep’s advice for guidelines regarding the set of procedures you need to apply in order to keep your chimney clean and safe.

Miscellaneous

So called ash vacuums or dust vacuums are particularly useful. Some of them can be used even while the embers are still warm, but check the user manual in order to make sure that the hose and drum are heat-resistant.

Apart from cleaning, other maintenance operations such as fixing cracks on the inside walls of the fireplace are often necessary. Deodorants can neutralize unpleasant smells coming out of unused fireplaces.

Make sure you use these tools regularly and your fireplace will remain fully functional and safe for a very long time. Letting dust and soot accumulate inside them can only cause hazards and make the fireplace less effective in time.