Ways for Maintaining Fireplaces and Heating Systems
As winter days arrive, the need for fireplaces and heating systems becomes highly necessary!
Sure, winters are enjoyable, but the cold winter winds that blow outside can make anyone want to jump back into their houses and get all cozy up.
And when we talk about having the best cozy winter days, we either think of fireplaces or heating systems in our houses.
So, as the winter season is approaching, we understand that you want to maintain your fireplaces regularly to work optimally in the winter.
But, it can be tricky if you don’t know where to start. We are writing this guide to help you keep your fireplaces and heating system well-maintained so that they can function at their best!
So, let’s get going!
- You must clean the fireplace interior.
As soon as Winter storms hit, there can be many warning signs, and you will want to keep yourself warm now more than ever!
Having a fireplace can solve the problem of providing warmth in a cold season. However, since the fireplace burns pieces of wood, the ashes keep piling up.
So, cleaning the fireplace will make your house look great, and it will also increase the efficiency of the fireplace.
- Installing Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarms
Fireplaces are great for spending great winter days. However, fireplaces also come with a significant hazard to your health as well.
Burning wood can result in carbon monoxide, which is poisoning. Carbon monoxide is produced when the chimney or the vent system is clogged. Moreover, carbon monoxide does not emit any smell, so there would be no way of knowing if you are exposed to carbon monoxide!
While this marks it very important for you to get chimney services to fix any issues, you should also consider getting carbon monoxide and smoke alarms. Following these steps can ensure your safety.
For instance, if you are looking for chimney repair services in Brooklyn, you can search for chimney repair in brooklyn on Google and find many desirable options.
Moreover, it will also help in keeping your fireplace maintained.
- Creosote Buildup and soot need to go!
Ash is not the only thing left after a wood burns out. Creosote is also another product of burned-out woods. Especially when you use woods that haven’t been stored properly or dried, creosote is more likely to produce from burning woods.
Creosote shows up as black or a brown residue on the inner walls of fireplaces. These residues are flammable, which can result in a fire eruption or chimney obstruction!
Soot is just as harmful as creosote. Considering how dangerous creosote and soot are, you must get professional chimney services to rid your fireplace of these two byproducts and ensure full functionality.
- Use the correct type of wood!
Many people see wood and toss it in their fireplace without any inspection! Well, here’s the newsflash: Not all the woods are created equal.
Many types of wood-burning will make the maintenance imminent for your fireplace more frequently.
So, we suggest that you go with hardwood instead of other kinds of wood. Hardwood logs are the best for fireplaces. These include maple, oak, birch, and other fruit trees.
Hardwood may cost you a little more than softwood, but hey, look at the pros. They produce more heat, burn for longer, produce creosote, and soot with them is minimal.
So to keep your fireplace working well in the long run, hardwood is the way to go.
- Change filters of your heating system regularly.
The filter in the heating systems is likely the first one to give out. And every part needs to function fully for the heating system to perform at its best.
The quick fix for filters is to replace them. And be consistent when it comes to replacing the filters.
Changing the filters of your heating system allows it to stay clean. Moreover, it also rules out any allergens roaming around in the vents.
Not changing the filter can result in a filter getting blocked. A blocked filter is not suitable for your system. A clogged filter will increase the workload on the entire heating system, which can reduce the efficiency of your heating system as a whole! A blocked filter is not suitable for your system.
- Thermostats are important!
A thermostat is responsible for helping the users control the whole heating system. Think of it as the brain of the heating system.
You must ensure that your thermostats keep working fine. One way to ensure optimal functionality is to make sure that your thermostat never runs low on batteries. Keep changing the batteries of your thermostat.
The newer batteries will result in efficient correspondence between the heating system and the thermostat.
- You should clean the vents and furnaces.
In most cases, furnaces sit in a dusty place. Their placement in a dusty place can result in dust making its way into the stove.
To keep your furnace working optimally, you must vacuum or sweep around the places around your furnace. Not only will cleaning the surrounding areas ensure optimal functionality, but it will also ensure that your furnace remains in the best possible condition.
Similarly, the dust presents all-around your house will make its way into the vents of the heating system as well.
While keeping the surrounding area clean helps, keeping the house clean from dust can protect you from this worry as a whole. And, since there will be no or less dust in your house, the air quality in your home will improve significantly.
- Your house must remain sealed.
Leaks in your home can cause a lot of problems for your heating system. You should check all the vents and any drafty places in your house for any leaks.
A leak in your house will put more load on your heating system. Since the heating system will be working much harder, the efficiency of your heating system will drop.
Moreover, your heating system will also consume more energy which will result in increased electricity bills!
So, you must seal any holes in your vents and ducts. Sealing any leakage will ensure that no warm air escapes. Also, keep your windows and doors closed during the winter months to make your heating system more efficient.
However, if you have drafty windows, you will want to fix that too. You should use insulating window film to seal any leaks in your windows!
Final words
A lot of people find maintaining their heating systems and fireplaces intimidating. However, when you follow the suitable methods and have the best tips, you will be amazed to see how easy it is!
We are sure that using these tips will allow you to keep your heating system or fireplace maintained. And here is the best part: Following these tips will also ensure that you don’t get dirty or deal with the gas line either!
However, if you think any information can help make the process easier, share it with us in the comments section.
Author bio
About Ashley Rosa: Ashley Rosa is a freelance writer and blogger. As writing is her passion that why she loves to write articles related to the latest trends in technology and sometimes on health-tech as well. She is crazy about chocolates. You can find her at twitter: @ashrosa2.
