How to Close Out Your Fireplace for Spring

Spring is around the corner and with it the warm weather. With that comes the end of fireplace season and properly closing your fireplace is an important part of being safe and efficient. A few things you can do each year to close your fireplace are:

Cleaning the fireplace, and making sure you dust and soot or ash deposits. Also having your chimney swept annually will remove any soot or creosote from the flue or any other hard to reach areas.

Inspections of your fireplace are important to not only ensure that your chimney is clean, but also to make sure there are no cracks or leaks. Doing this will help prevent water issues in your home as well as prevent performance issues next fall. If you home should need mortar work done, doing so in the summer is typically easier since the temperature does not usually fall below the minimum degree for the mortar to set. Inspections are also able to be completed sooner as well, since the summer months are the slower season for chimney sweeps.

If you own a wood burning fireplace closing your damper will help keep odors and moisture from entering your fireplace. This also helps keep air from entering or exiting the home, making the fireplace more energy efficient when out of use. If you have a gas burning fireplace, your damper should always remain open to prevent buildup of fumes or carbon monoxide.

If you do own a gas fire place turning off your pilot light will help save energy over the course of the year.

By performing these steps, you can help keep your fireplace safe and efficient during non use, and also having your fireplace prepared for the next winter without having to worry about it taking several weeks to have your chimney inspected during the busy season.