How to start a fire in a fireplace is not a difficult task if you follow a few simple steps. However, it can be easy to forget the basic steps in the process and end up with a fire that’s not very well lit. By following these simple guidelines, you can easily get your fireplace burning and have a great night at the same time.
Before you light the fire, you need to make sure that your fireplace has plenty of air. This is a critical component of any fire. In addition, you’ll want to make sure that your damper is fully open. Leaving your damper closed can actually hinder the flow of air and your fire could quickly go out. If you’re not sure if your fireplace has the proper draft, try opening the door or cracking a window. You’ll soon see that a fresh supply of air is flowing into your firebox.
Once you have your damper open, you’ll need to stack a few logs onto the grate. These logs will act as the bed of the fire. The best way to stack them is in a grid fashion so that air can circulate between them. Be sure to leave an inch of ash at the bottom of the grate to insulate the firebox.
After you have stacked your logs, you’ll want to put a layer of kindling on top of the logs. This can be a newspaper ball or a small piece of dry wood. Make sure that you use the right material, though. Newspaper can generate a lot of smoke while kindling is often more efficient. Also, glossy magazine pages are not very good for kindling.
Another trick is to lay your large logs perpendicular to the back of your fireplace. A few inches below this, place a smaller log. This smaller log will ignite the larger ones below it. Your final top layer should not exceed the height of your fireplace.
To get the most out of your fireplace, you’ll need to make sure that you clean it and maintain it throughout the season. It is also wise to inspect your ash regularly. Having too much ash can interfere with your fire and prevent it from burning properly. You should also keep a fire poker nearby to help you expose your dry wood to enough heat.
Other steps to take are to crack open a window and place some tinder. Tinder is important because it can help your fire burn, and it can also serve as a beacon to guide embers to the appropriate spots. You can use a fire lighter, a match, or some type of gas to ignite your tinder.
While there are many other ways to start a fire in your fireplace, these three basic steps are essential for a successful one. Following them will have you burning a fire that you’ll love from start to finish. Of course, you should never leave a fire unattended, so check on it frequently to ensure that it’s still ablaze.