Cold Outside, Cozy Inside; All About Wood
Burning Fireplace Anatomy and Maintenance Tips
Areas that experience cold, damp temperatures make having a wood
burning fireplace especially nice. An efficiently run fireplace
adds warmth, charm, and ambiance to the room.
But there is more to contemporary fireplace design than a fireplace
grate, logs, or the decorative brass and cast iron fireplace tool
set positioned off to the side. The construction of today’s
wood fireplace is more complex than in days of old. Logs burn longer,
and all but a few stray whiffs of smoke are sent up the chimney.
Fireplace Anatomy
Understanding fireplace construction will help you better understand
how it functions. Important aspects of a wood burning fireplace
include, from the ground up:
- Ash pit - a cavity that collects ash from burning logs; accessible
by a cleanout door.
- Ash drop – which leads to the ash pit
- Fireplace grate – a removable fireplace insert that rests
on the inner hearth, the floor.
- Firebox – the inner cavity; the place to build a fire.
It is lined with high-temperature firebricks; its splayed sides
funnel air across the hearth to the base of the fire, while the
sloping rear wall deflects heat back into the room.
- Damper – a plate or valve that controls the draft and
closes the flue when not in use.
- Lintel – the fireboxe’s top, front edge; it helps
direct smoke up the chimney.
- Throat – which leads to the smoke chamber
- Smoke chamber – the space above the throat that leads
to the flue. It stops cold air from coming down the chimney; diverting
it back up the flue.
- Flue – the passageway that leads up the chimney.
Unlike a ventless fireplace, those with a vent located between the
ash pit and the hearth provide a better draft. Building codes
for today’s contemporary fireplace design help ensure ease
of function and maintenance. But chimney fires and part malfunction
can still happen. Don’t neglect your fireplace. An annual
check up is a good idea.
Wood Fireplace Maintenance
An annual check up and regular maintenance is as important for
safety purposes as it is for wood burning fireplace efficiency.
A DIY homeowner or chimney fireplace contractor should inspect the
fireplace system annually. Do the following:
- Check for cracks in fireplace construction; if any are found,
have them repaired.
- Check the flue for blockages and cracks that might need repair;
every few years have the flue cleaned.
- Check the damper to insure it has a tight seal; if it doesn’t
close securely, feel around its edges and remove any debris. Make
sure the handle and hinges work properly
- Check the firebox to see if firebricks are broken or loose;
if so, make repairs. Clean soot off masonry using a mild solution
of muriatic acid and water; wear rubber gloves.
- Check and clean the ash pit; if ashes are hard to remove or
seem soggy, check for leakage. If there are outside cleanout doors,
seal any gaps.
In addition to the above, have chimneys checked and cleaned annually.
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