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Tips and Helpful Advice
What about the Chimney Sweeping Log?
While the Chimney Sweep Log may help with breaking down creosote it does not take the place of a mechanical cleaning. It’s like using mouthwash to clean your teeth instead of using a toothbrush. If you read the packaging it states to have the chimney checked and/or cleaned by a chimney professional.
  Operating Your Fireplace
1. Have your chimney cleaned and inspected on a regular basis by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep.
2. Before starting a fire, make sure the damper is completely opened.
3. Burn seasoned firewood. Do not burn scrap wood, cardboard, wrapping paper, Christmas trees or treated wood. These products burn hot and can be extremely dangerous! They can lead to cracked flue tiles which can result in flue fires.
4. Have the proper chimney cap installed.
5. Never use Petroleum products to start a fire in your fireplace. This includes charcoal lighter fluid, gasoline, or any other flammable liquid.
6. Never leave fires unattended.
7. Never store any flammable materials or fire products near the fireplace.
8. Be sure to have fire detectors and Carbon Monoxide detectors in your home. Routinely check these devices for proper operation and replace batteries as necessary.
9. Place ashes in a non-flammable container and store in area away from combustibles. Coals may remain hot for an extended period of time, even if you do not see smoke.
10. Burning only seasoned firewood will help your fireplace system burn cleaner and more efficiently. Burning green or wet wood causes excessive smoke and rapid creosote buildup.
To start a fire, stack the wood to be burned so that air can circulate around the wood. Use small kindling to start the fire. Warm up the flue. Burn small hot fires. Do not damper down a fire too much as this produces a smoky, oxygen starved fire. A technique we like is the Top Down fire. Put down several full sized logs down first. Then add kindling on top. Then add a few sheets of crumpled paper, or a fire starter. The fire starts slowly and will progressively burn down to the largest logs at the bottom. It goes against the grain of normal thinking but works well.