One of the most amazing feelings in the world is being able to cozy up next to a beautiful, crackling fire in your home with a cup of hot chocolate or hot cider in your hand. With a fireplace in your home, you will not only help keep your home warm, but you will also save some money on your monthly heating bill. However, it is important that you understand what you burn in your fireplace and how you burn it in order to keep you and your family safe. With that being said, here are a few tips to help you burn wood in your fireplace safely:

Tip #1: Burn Seasoned Wood Only

When you first chop firewood, the wood has as much as 50 percent water content in it. As a result, it is not going to be able to properly burn in your fireplace. Firewood needs to sit outside after being cut in order to season, which means allowing the moisture to escape from the wood.

Also, when you burn unseasoned wood, also known as green wood, in your fireplace, it can result in creosote build-up in the chimney, which can eventually lead to the failure of a fire, smoke in the room, or even a fire in the chimney.

Ultimately, it is ideal to allow wood to sit for approximately six months. When storing wood outdoors, store it with a cover over the wood and make sure that the wood is off the ground.

Tip #2: Buy Locally-Sourced Wood

If you are not keen on cutting and chopping wood yourself, it is crucial that you purchase wood from your local area. If you go outside of your local area, you run the risk of bring invasive insects that could do damage to native trees. There are many insects that like to hide inside firewood, such as the Emerald Ash Borer, and can decimate trees. By buying locally, you can decrease the overall risk of transporting these types of pests.

Tip #3: Don't Burn Other Flammable Items

When you are burning in your fireplace, make sure that you are burning only acceptable items in your fireplace. Many people will throw certain pieces of household trash into their fireplace so that they don't have to take them to the landfill.

However, there are many items that can releases harmful chemicals or toxins into your home when burned, and some could even cause damage to your fireplace. Therefore, make sure you are only burning newspaper, kindling, fire starters and seasoned wood in your fireplace.  

To learn more about the do's and don'ts of safely using your fireplace, contact fireplace installation services such as Hartman Heating, Air and Fireplaces.

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