Getting Your Fireplace Ready for Fall

Vacation season is ending. Schoolis just around the corner. And the weather is turning cooler. It’s time toprepare your fireplace to ensure safe, cozy autumn evenings.

Wood-Burning Fireplace

Remove any wood from thefireplace. Then, remove the andirons and the grate. Sweep up the ash and thenvacuum up the remaining debris. Scrub the inside of the fireplace with a stiffbristle brush and a cleaning solution. You can clean the surrounding brickswith a pumice stone dipped in dish soap. Clean the andirons and tools. Finally,clean the glass doors with glass cleaner and paper towel. After the fireplacehas dried completely, reassemble it. It’s also important to have a professionalensure that the chimney is clean and ready for the first fire of the season.

Gas Fireplace

Begin by turning off the gas valveand letting the burners cool completely. Remove the ceramic logs and place themon an old towel. Wipe them off with a cloth or dry paint brush. Remove thestones from the fireplace. Vacuum up any dust and debris under and around thegas grate. Also, vacuum the flue liner if applicable. Being careful not to getthe gas unit and grate too wet, clean the walls and floor of the fireplace witha stiff bristle brush and cleaning solution. Rinse with a clean cloth. You canwipe the gas grate and unit with a cloth dampened slightly in the cleaningsolution. After your fireplace is completely dry, reassemble it.

Electric Fireplace

Turn off your electric fireplace.Open the glass doors. Dust the hearth, andirons, stones, and logs with a cleancloth. If you’d like, you can use metal polish on the metal andirons. Using thehose of your vacuum or a hand vacuum, clean the vents. Using a damp cloth or aduster, wipe down the walls of your fireplace, inside and out. Use glasscleaner and paper towels to clean the glass doors.

And no matter what type offireplace you have, to ensure everything is in the best possible working order,contact My Fireplace and arrange a service call.

To book an appointment, call MyFireplace’s London location at (519) 652-2774 or the St. Thomas location at(519) 633-4256.