Tips on What to Do With Your Fireplace in Summer

Fortunately, no matter how cold and dreadful the winter is, summer always comes, and that means time to get active and run up and down the road enjoy the nice weather.

Summer is also a good time to do some things with your fireplace that you didn’t really think about doing when it was running all the time.

Because fireplaces are mostly inactive during the warm months, let’s look at a few tips on what to do with your fireplace in summer.

Inspection and thorough cleaning

You’d be amazed by how many people wait until the last minute to have important maintenance tasks performed on their fireplaces.  Sometimes they wait so long, the task is put off until next year, creating a potential safety issue in the upcoming winter.

Use your fireplace’s down-time to bring in a certified chimney sweep and inspector to clean the fireplace and chimney and determine if repairs are needed to ensure a safe burning season.  Summer is the perfect time to do this and get it out of the way before the cold sets in.

A fireplace inspection should be exhaustive, covering all parts of the chimney and fireplace itself such as the chimney crown, flue, smoke chamber, damper, ash dump, chimney liner and the foundation.

Cleaning that you can do

While a professional is necessary for some aspects of cleaning, there’s lot you can do, as well.  Make your firebox like new again with a thorough treatment.

First, lay down a plastic tarp or drop cloth to protect the flooring or carpet.  Use a chimney brush (you can buy them at most hearth stores) to scrape away the soot and creosote that you can reach.  For basic cleaning, use a good wire brush or heavy nylon brush with a solution of a strong cleaner like TSP, about a half cup, with a cup of bleach in a gallon of water.  Baking soda and vinegar can be substituted.

Accent Lighting or Candles

Adding some colorful accent lights is a great way to use your fireplace during the summer.  Christmas bulbs or some tasteful standing lighting will do the trick.  Colors liven up any room.  You can also drape a swatch of colored fabric across the fireplace opening with white light behind it to create an attractive ambience.

Adding a candle display is a great way to keep up the ambiance all year round while not producing large amounts of heat during the warmer summer months. Go with electric candles for a no hassle display or choose a beautiful candelabra for a remarkable centerpiece.

Of all these tips, cleaning and inspection are most important.  Burlington Fireplace & Solar is here to help.  Visit us at 857 Milwaukee Ave. in Burlington, Wis., or call (262) 763-3522 to arrange you annual fireplace cleaning and be prepared for the next cold winter.