Step-By-Step Fall Fireplace Prep

Moving into winter, it’s smart to get your fireplace and chimney ready for the busy season. This may mean simply seeing to a few last-minute cleaning tasks; it also might mean scheduling some important repair or rebuilding work.

Felgemacher of Buffalo, NY, and Rochester, NY, would like to present a step-by-step guide to prepping your fireplace for the colder months.

Step 1: Inspection

Before anything else, have your chimney and fireplace inspected by a licensed professional. Your inspector will look at all readily accessible parts of your chimney and fireplace system:

• Chimney cap or top-mount damper
• Chase cover and chase structure
• Chimney crown
• Masonry bricks and mortar
• Chimney flashing
• Chimney liner
• Fireplace damper
• Firebox

During an inspection, you can bring up drafting problems, chimney odors, masonry stains or other issues you’re having that you’re not sure how to solve. 

Step 2: Get needed repairs made

You don’t want to move into winter with unaddressed chimney or fireplace problems. Things that may seem minor right now could turn major before you know it.

Repair work that’s needed in the fall might include:

• Replacement of the chimney cap or chase top
• Repair or replacement of the top-mount damper
• Brick replacement and tuckpointing to strengthen masonry mortar joints
• Chimney liner repair or relining
• Chimney crown patching, sealing or rebuilding
• Chimney flashing reseating or replacement
• Fireplace damper cleaning, repair or installation
• Firebox repair, sealing or rebuilding

Step 3: Schedule a chimney sweep

Chimney sweeping, or chimney cleaning, is the right way to rid your chimney flue of flammable creosote buildups and outside debris. Creosote forms when smoke condenses in a chimney and should be professionally removed once a year. Most reported chimney fires and many house fires in New York State are started by creosote.

You can prevent outside debris in the chimney by installing a chimney cap. Until then, chimney sweeping is the way to remove debris and keep the drafting passage open.

Step 4: Check smoke detectors and CO monitors

All fireplaces and stoves should have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide monitors installed near them. Once they’re in place, test their batteries often. Many homeowners put in fresh batteries every year before winter to err on the side of safety.

Step 5: Get your firewood ready

If you haven’t purchased firewood yet, you should buy wood that’s had at least six months to dry out. Damp wood produces a lot of smoke, adding to the creosote problem and making life miserable for you.

Store firewood in a place that’s safe from rain and snow. You can stack it on pallets to keep the lower logs from getting wet. It’s a good idea to place the log supply a foot or more away from the walls of your home to keep any insects that might hang out on the wood off your house.

An Efficient Fireplace and Chimney for Our New York Winters

Flegemacher’s team of chimney field technicians is ready to help you prepare for the New York winter. You can also visit our fireplace shop at 2727 Broadway, Suite 5, in Cheektowaga, NY, and learn more about taking care of your chimney and fireplace.

Reach a fireplace expert by phone or through our contact form.