During the winter months, the fireplace is often used as a source of warmth around the house and is heavily used for three to four months out of the year. Using the fireplace can also be energy efficient, cutting down on the cost of heating. But, not properly maintaining the fireplace can lead to high levels of heat loss in your home due to the lack of efficiency of your fireplace. Here are a few ways that you can make sure that you are getting the most out of your fireplace this winter season.

1)    Keep the Damper Closed: Unless you have a fire burning in the fireplace, always keep your damper closed. Keeping the damper opened when not using the fireplace can lead to tremendous heat loss in your living area.

2)    Installing Air Exchange Systems: To blow warm air back into your home, install heated air exchange systems or install tempered glass doors.

3)    Seals Around the Flue: Check the seals around the chimney flue damper. If the seals aren’t tight around the flue, you could be at risk of losing heat through the chimney.

4)    Insulating Your Chimney: Insulating your chimney can prevent the buildup of creosote which can become a danger to your chimney due to its flammable properties. Liners can be used to maximize the efficiency of your chimney while protecting anyone from the dangerous products caused by flue gasses.

5)    Get your chimney Inspected: Hire a professional certified chimney sweep to conduct a thorough inspection of your chimney

. A certified chimney sweep can provide advice on how you can keep your chimney working efficiently and safely.

We recommend that you hire a professional chimney inspector or chimney sweep to thoroughly inspect your chimney at least twice a year, before and after the winter season