Getting Started with Your New Fireplace

A new gas or wood fireplace in your home means many years of enjoyment – but only if you know the right way to use it and care for it. Doodlebuggers Fireplace, Grill & Outdoor Store of Pensacola, FL, and Destin, FL, would like to share some tips for using a brand-new manufactured fireplace.

Safety concerns

Before firing up your fireplace for the first time:

1. Make sure the flue pipe or chimney vent system is clean and unobstructed.
2. Place working smoke detectors in your home and a working CO monitor near the fireplace.
3. Put a fire extinguisher in the fireplace room.
4. Make sure the fireplace damper is opened before starting a fire.

Initial fireplace odor

Just like with some other home appliances, manufactured fireplaces have paints and oils that will cause an odor until they’re baked off. For a gas fireplace, run the unit on “high” for three hours, let it cool completely, then run on “high” again for up to eight hours. This should stop the odor. For a wood fireplace, your initial fires might cause a paint-baking smell. This is normal, and it should go away after a few uses.

Burning the right wood

Whether you buy or harvest the logs for your fireplace, it’s important to use only dry, seasoned firewood in the appliance.

Seasoned wood is advantageous:

• It makes less smoke that produces flammable creosote in your chimney.
• It burns hotter, so you’ll need less wood than if you use damp firewood.
• It burns more thoroughly, which means you won’t be wasting wood and creating large amounts of carbon monoxide from partial combustion.

Lighting the fire

There are several theories on how to stack logs and light a fire. Here’s a method we like. Start by stacking the logs on top of the fireplace grate. Place kindling on top of the logs. Then place tinder (such as balled-up newspaper sheets or very small twigs) at the very top. Then light the tinder.

No matter what stacking method you use, make sure to leave reasonable space between the logs so air can get between them. Air is important to aid in combustion and to form a draft that will vent smoke and gases into the chimney.

Smoke backups

If smoke backs up into your home the first time you use your new wood fireplace, there are several possible reasons.

1. The damper isn’t fully open. Open it. If it won’t open, have it repaired.
2. The flue is obstructed. Have the flue pipe or chimney inspected and cleaned.
3. The air in the flue is too cold. Hold a portable hair dryer or rolled-up, lit newspaper into the flue area to warm it.
4. Exhaust fans are running in the house. This creates negative air pressure. Turn off the fans and see if it helps.
5. The house is too airtight. Crack a nearby window.

For both gas and wood fireplaces

Always consult your service manual if you have questions about using or maintaining your new fireplace. Schedule safety inspections once a year with a qualified chimney and fireplace inspector. For wood fireplaces, schedule an annual chimney sweeping to remove creosote and reduce the chance of a chimney fire.

Looking for a new fireplace?

Doodlebuggers specializes in the sale and installation of beautiful new gas and wood fireplaces. If it’s time to bring a new one home, we’re ready to amaze you.
Reach a fireplace expert today at (850) 477-1151 in Pensacola, FL, or at (850) 243-0154 in the Destin, FL, area. You can also fill out our handy contact form.