Affordable Chimney Cleaning and Repair Services

---

Whether it’s the warm glow of the fire, the crackle of the wood or the deep penetrating warmth, burning wood has a way of making people feel relaxed and right at home. When heating with wood, there are three key elements to achieve optimal economy, environmental responsibility, and efficiency:

1. The Woodstove, Fireplace or Fireplace Insert
2. The Installation
3. The Operation and Maintenance
4. Seasoned Firewood

Once you’ve identified the right product for your home and had it installed properly, maintaining, operating, and fueling your appliance properly are the next steps. Prepare for the Burn…Maintain Your Fireplace, Stove, or Insert

• Stock up the right fuel…seasoned wood, both hard and soft woods. 
• Inspect gaskets, door seals, and the chimney annually. Clean the chimney as necessary, by a professional chimney sweep to ensure it’s clear of obstructions and creosote.
• Install a cap at the top of the chimney to avoid the possibility that debris or animals can block the chimney.
• Install both a smoke and carbon monoxide detector. (Make sure the batteries work.)
• Keep a fire extinguisher on hand.
• Clear the area around the fireplace of furniture, books, newspaper, and other potentially flammable materials. (Three feet away is a good rule.)

• Clean out ashes from previous fires and open the damper before starting a new fire.
• Prepare plenty of kindling. For fireplaces, use grate and cover it with kindling or a manufactured firestarter.
• Close the firescreen and keep glass doors open while operating a fireplace (as appropriate).
• Utilize fireplace tools to tend the fire.
• Burn only dry, seasoned wood in pieces that aren’t too big for your fireplace or stove.
• Follow any specific manufacturer guidelines for your product.

• Never use gasoline or any liquid accelerant to help start a fire.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Never overload the fireplace or stove to avoid burning wood or embers tumbling out.
• Always store ashes in a non-combustible container with a tightly fitting lid and place it away from the house.

• Never burn garbage, rolled newspaper, charcoal, plastic, or chemically-treated or painted wood in the fireplace. They all produce noxious fumes that are dangerous and highly polluting. Additionally, if you have a catalytic stove, the residue from burning certain plastics may ruin the catalytic converter.
• Always make sure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Always keep small children and pets away from the fireplace.
• Never close the damper on your open fireplaces until the embers have completely stopped burning.

Gas fireplaces, stoves, and inserts also require routine maintenance and service to ensure their proper working order. The best person to perform the service is a specialty technician who is trained in the maintenance of gas fireplaces, and their venting, or chimney, systems. Before lighting the first fire of the season, there are a few important safety tips to remember.

• Have a technician check the gas lines, clean the burner, control compartment, fan and related air circulation passages, as well as check for condensation annually.
• Ensure the vents are unobstructed and able to do their job.
• Check the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector.
• Clean the glass and adjust the glowing embers and logs for best appearance.
• Be alert for unusual odors or flames, which are often a sign that the fireplace is not operating properly.
• Make family members and guests aware that the glass panel of a gas fireplace, stove, or insert can be very hot. Installing a safety screen or safety barrier is recommended to reduce the risk of serious burns by preventing direct contact with hot glass.

For many, nothing beats the warmth, beauty, and economic sense of heating with wood. A traditional and renewable fuel source, wood grows locally and is abundant in most areas. However, burning responsibly to ensure clean air both indoors and outdoors is everyone’s responsibility. HPBA can help you enjoy the warmth of woodburning while doing your part. Whether you’ve upgraded to an EPA-certified product or not, there are ways to ensure your woodstove or fireplace burns as clean as possible.

Burning wood responsibly is about maintaining cleaner air for you, your family, and your neighbors, while protecting your ability to burn wood.

• Inspect and maintain. Each year have your wood heating system inspected by a National Fireplace Institute (NFI) certified professional or by a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) certified chimney sweep for proper installation, safety and efficient operation.
• Watch the smoke. If your fire is burning properly, you should only see the white transparent steam of evaporating water. As a rule, the darker the smoke, the less efficient you are operating.
• Stick to seasoned dry wood. The seasoning, or drying, process allows most of the natural moisture found in wood to evaporate, making it easier to burn. To properly season wood, split the logs as soon as possible and stack them in a dry spot for 6–18 months. Never burn garbage, plastic, foil or any kind of chemically treated or painted wood. They all produce noxious fumes that are dangerous and highly polluting. Visit EPA's Burn Wisefor more resources.
• Burn smarter. Soft and hard woods burn differently. Use soft woods, like poplar or pine, to start a fire as they burn quickly or to create shorter burning fires. And, use hard woods, such as oak, maple or fir, for sustained heat as they create longer burning fires.
• Be Certified. Most new woodburning appliances sold in the U.S. are required to be certified by the U.S. If you own a hearth product installed before 1992, it may be time to consider an upgrade to cleaner air indoors and out. Unsure if you’re EPA-certified? EPA-certified wood-burning hearth products have an EPA-certified label on their back or side. Learn more about updating your home as part of a woodstove changeout program.

Regular maintenance is key to ensuring your chimney is functioning properly and safely. We offer comprehensive chimney maintenance services to keep your chimney in top condition.