- March 29, 2024
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Q: This is our first year in a house that has a working fireplace, but we’ve never used one before. We’d like to have a crackling fire during holiday get-togethers and throughout the winter, but so far I can’t get one to light. I just get a lot of smoke in the room and no flame. Any tips? — Dale C., Madison, Wis.
A: It can be a little tricky to get a nice fire going in the fireplace if you’ve never done it before, and there are some safety tips you need to follow as well.
First, be certain the fireplace is safe to use. If it was inspected and cleaned when you moved in, you’re good to go; but if it hasn’t, or you don’t know when it was last inspected, contact a chimney cleaning service.
Make sure the area around the fireplace is safe: move furniture, rugs, boxes, paper and other flammable items several feet away. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher nearby, get one and place it in an accessible spot.
To light a fire, you’ll need several pieces of wood in various sizes, along with old newspaper or a fire starter stick. The small bundles of firewood sold in grocery stores and home improvement stores are expensive, but they’ll do for a first-time fire, as they’re medium-size and usually cut to fit most fireboxes. You should also go out for a walk and collect an armful of fallen, dry twigs and small branches.
With your fuel ready, it’s time to get started. Open the fireplace damper fully — this flap is located at the top of the firebox (the area in which the fire burns) and when opened allows air to flow up the chimney and outward. It’s probably the reason your house was filling with smoke when you tried to light a fire before.
Twist a half-sheet of newspaper into a cylinder. Holding it inside the firebox, light one end. Hold the burning end a few inches underneath damper for about 30 seconds or until you see smoke from the burning paper flowing freely upward into the chimney flue.
Stack your firewood prior to lighting the fire. Opinions vary on how to build the stack, but it’s important to make sure air flows freely between the logs. I prefer stacking four small- to medium-sized logs in a square or triangular pattern. Tuck an assortment of twigs, shredded newspaper and small branches between and underneath the logs. Don’t go overboard — the kindling can flare up too high when lit.
Carefully light the kindling, starting near the back of the log stack and working your way forward. Once the initial flame has died down somewhat — but before it disappears — carefully feed in more twigs and branches. Properly seasoned logs should catch within a few minutes, but don’t be disappointed if you have to repeat the process.
Once a good fire is going, make sure the protective screen is in place. Remember to never leave a fire unattended. And once the fire is out, don’t remove the cinders until they are completely cold, and dispose of them in a fire-resistant container, away from the house or garage.
Send your questions or home tips to [email protected]. My e-book, “101 Best Home Tips,” is available to download on Kindle! Pick it up it today for just 99 cents. © 2013 King Features Synd. Inc.