By John J. Kriz
When the leaves begin to turn, our focus also turns to our fireplaces. Hearth. Home. So very New England. But many struggle to lay a fire so that it will burn properly. And then there’s the fire safety aspect. Need some tips? Read on.
Wood
The type of wood matters. Avoid soft woods such as cedar and pine: they burn badly and don’t generate much heat. Plus, pine has lots of oil in it, and that oil will ‘pop’ when heated, throwing abundant sparks and embers. Best wood to use? Ash (if you’re losing ash trees to the Emerald Ash Borer, have your arborist save the wood), maple, oak, cherry, birch and hickory. Be sure it is seasoned. As a general rule seasoning means leaving the wood split and properly stacked for at least six months so it will lose moisture and dry. And do not use wet (such as wood that’s been covered in snow or has been rained on) or unseasoned (‘green’) wood. As well, the logs you use should be not thicker than 4”, as big chunks of wood are difficult to burn. Avoid lumber used in construction, which can have any-rot chemicals in it.
Splitting Wood
It’s said that wood warms you four ways: When you cut it, when you split it, when you stack it and when you burn it. For the truly hard core (and skilled) you can try doing all this yourself, but most people buy split, seasoned firewood from local landscapers.
Wood Pile
Hard core fireplace users will usually have a few cords of wood stacked on their property. Be sure the wood pile is covered (old plywood works, with a few rocks on top) with the sides are open so there’s air flow and the wood can season. If you keep your wood outside, bring it in to the house a few hours before use as ‘cold’ wood (even if dry) does not burn that well.
Open the Damper
Really important. The damper is like a gate in your chimney. If it’s open the smoke can escape up and out the chimney. If closed, that smoke will pour into your house. Not good. Usually the damper is kept closed when you’re not using the fireplace, and there are no live, leftover embers. This is especially true in winter because on open damper lets cold air pour into the house. How to open the damper? There’s usually a lever you push up and that locks it open. How to tell it’s open? The easiest way it to stick your head at the front of the fireplace and look up. Reminder: Best to open the damper before you start to build your fire – you’ll have more room. Fireproof gloves and eye protection are advisable. Most damper levers end in a circle, so you can stick the hook that most pokers have into that circle and can use the poker to open and close the damper.
Kindling
This is the small wood you place at the bottom of the fire. (More later.) The same wood-type rules apply. You can buy kindling or, if you’re thrifty, just collect small sticks from your property. The same rules apply on seasoning as well, so try putting them in a bucket or old planter for later use. Then there’s ‘Maine Kindling’. What is this? It’s the ultimate thrift strategy: Take a sheet of newspaper, roll it up, and then tie it into a simple knot. Shazzam! Instant kindling. And it really works. Some people use Fatwood, which are small sticks of commercial kindling that burn well. Place one in the middle of the kindling stack. One is all you need.
Laying the Fire
Lay your kindling straight across, or in a checkerboard if you can, on the fire grate, but not too tightly, as the fire needs oxygen. If you’re using Maine kindling, add a layer on top of the wood kindling. Then place your logs on top of that. Again, not too tightly. Usually three logs are a good start. When your initial logs are about half burned away is a good time to add more. And if your fire is not thriving, you might need to add some more tinder (see below) to rejuvenate it, or use your poker to gently push the logs around for better oxygen flow.
Tinder
Tinder goes under the grate, stacked kindling and split logs in your fireplace. The easiest tinder to use is newspaper. Be wary of using so-called ‘slick’ paper, often found in advertisements and magazines, as these can contain chemicals and tend not to burn well. Plus, don’t use too much tinder. Keep it loose so the oxygen can get in there. You get the fire going by lighting the tinder. Best to use very long matches, or an electronic fire starter.
Proof the Chimney
Huh? To get a solid draft, or flow, of smoke up and out the chimney, it’s a good idea to proof it, especially in cold weather as that cold air will try to fall down your chimney and push the fire’s smoke into the house, especially at the beginning when the fire is not yet roaring. Not good. An easy way to get a good draft going is to first lay your fire, and then roll up a single piece of newspaper into a torch shape, light one end and stick it up the chimney. You should hear a ‘whoosh’ once the heat from that torch starts flowing up and out the chimney. Best to wear fireproof gloves and eye protection, and watch for falling embers. Once done just drop the rest of your ‘torch’ on top or your logs, and then light your tinder.
Close the Door!
Once you’ve lit the tinder, close the screen/doors to the fireplace. Shooting embers are always a risk, and not one worth taking.
Creosote
Creosote is thick, oily, black stuff that, along with ash, will stick to the inside of your chimney as a consequence of burning wood. If you have a really hot fire with dry wood (as opposed to fires that just smolder) you’ll generate less creosote, but it’ll still accumulate. Be sure you have a professional periodically clean your chimney of this stuff, because creosote can catch fire and you Really, Really Do Not Want a Chimney Fire. How often should you get the chimney cleaned? It depends on how often you use it, the type of wood used, the fire’s heat and other conditions. But if you use your fireplace often, annual cleaning is a good idea. There are also commercial preparations you can spray or sprinkle on the fire that help reduce creosote build-up in the chimney.
Ash Disposal
Scoop out ash and other bits at the bottom with a metal shovel (comes as part of a fireplace set) and place in a metal bucket with a metal lid. Let the embers cool before scooping them out, if you can. Place the bucket outside in as safe a place as possible – the corner of a driveway often works.
According to Paul J. Payne, our Fire Marshal, “Ashes should be placed in a metal can with a tight fitting lid and placed in a safe area away from the house and other combustible items such as brush and leaves. Remember, ashes can stay hot for several days. Never put ashes in plastic or paper.”
Ash Hatch
Some fireplaces have a small hatch in the back for ash disposal. These are best avoided, as many times it’s unclear exactly where the ash (and maybe embers) go, and there is often no effective way to empty any ash that does end up down that hatch.
Around the Fireplace
Keep all flammables away from the fireplace area. This includes rugs in front of the fireplace, unless those rugs are inflammable.
Plus…
Never leave a fire unattended.
Open the doors/screen to the fireplace only to add wood or stir the fire.
Always keep a fire extinguisher on hand.
Be sure your smoke alarms work.
Special thanks to Paul J. Payne, our New Canaan Fire Marshal, for reviewing this before we went to press and adding safety tips on how to manage ashes.
