Welcome to Harold’s Indoor Fireplaces Blog

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The Specifics of Indoor Fireplaces
Commonly, if people hear about fireplaces, they would immediately refer to indoor fireplaces right away. This deduction is almost very spontaneous to most people. That is why when people usually talk about fireplaces, they don’t find that sense to further discuss about it. However, it should be noted that a very important distinction should be made between the two. Given the varieties of options we have on this matter, such as outdoor fireplaces, chimneys, wood stoves, indoor grills and activities, and etcetera, it should be understood that fireplaces and indoor fireplaces are not the same stuff.

As a general overview, indoor fireplaces take into considerations negative pressure, indoor air hazards, combustion outlet, and insulation, among many other things.These are not as important to outdoor fireplaces which operate similarly to campfires — where heat is bound to be expected only to a certain periphery close to the fire itself. This is not the same with indoor fireplaces, since it has to take into consideration the size of the room it has to heat up plus other factors for efficient heat production.

The Kinds of Indoor Fireplaces
In essence, there are two kinds of indoor fireplaces: (1) indoor fireplaces which operate through fuel-burning and (2) indoor fireplaces which operate artificially. Fuels burnt in fuel-burning indoor fireplaces include firewood, pellets, papers, briquettes, coal, gas, ethanol and other materials which produce heat through combustion. On the other hand, electric fireplaces are the most famous kinds of artificial indoor fireplaces.

The House Focal Point
An indoor fireplace usually becomes focal point to any room it is installed to. The inviting ambiance it creates is irresistible especially during cold winter nights when roasting chestnuts with your friends, knitting with your parents, and reading to your children or simply cuddling with your sweetheart is the most perfect activity to do around indoor fireplaces!

Even when it is not winter or when the fires are not lighted, indoor fireplaces still do not stop being a wonderful house accent. It can be decorated to fit any season or style or taste. It can be customize to meet certain lifestyles. There are a lot of indoor fireplace accessories available in almost all hardware stores; you can even buy online if you don’t have the luxury of time to shop.

Meeting Your Lifestyle
Indoor fireplaces do not require a homeowner to own a big house too. You can own an indoor fireplace even when you live in a small apartment or condominium, or your landlord only allow vent-less indoor fireplaces. Today, all kinds of electric indoor fireplaces are available to suit your every need. There are some which simply looks like square stoves, while there are some which mimics almost everything there is about real wood-burning indoor fireplaces!

Responsibility and Safety
Knowledge about indoor fireplaces is not only bounded to its physical whereabouts – it also includes the responsibility of owning such a fixture. The ownership extends to making sure that you operate it safely and responsibly not just for your self but for your family and the community as well. Part of it is child-proofing your indoor fireplace to keep you children safe and ensuing proper ash disposal and chimney cleaning to avoid accidental fires.

My Indoor Fireplaces Blog
The advocacy behind the establishment of this blog still remains: I wish to share everything I know about indoor fireplaces to everyone who shares with me this passion I have towards this magnificent human invention. And this extends to you.

Happy Reading!

Preventing Chimney Fires

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It might seem that a chimney fire taking place is highly unlikely knowing that most chimneys are properly insulated and seem very detached from the entire house. The truth is a chimney fire can easily be caught, sometimes with little or no warning at all. And the worst that could happen is having your house burned down by an indoor fire gone wild. This is a very dangerous situation that might take place into your very homes just because of the presence of indoor fireplaces.

It’s a good thing though, that with just a little amount of work, a chimney fire can be prevented, putting your house and the surrounding area safe. But in order to prevent such an indoor fireplace mishap, one must understand first what actually causes it. Every time wood is burned, it produces smoke, which rises up to the chimney and leaves the house into the outside air . Yet, though smoke is gaseous, it sometimes doesn’t remain in that form for long, because it cools quickly and condenses to the chimney interior and then mix with indoor air. As it condenses, the particles in the smoke bond together to form a flaky or gummy substance on the inside of the chimney. It is this substance, creosote, which causes a chimney fire.

Creosote can be pretty flammable. A single spark in the wrong conditions may start a chimney fire immediately. Especially during high-wind situations where an updraft is formed, sparks can be pulled up through the chimney, and if they ignite the creosote, it can be very difficult to put out the resulting fire. It is in keeping creosote levels low that accidents cased by operating indoor fireplaces are avoided, and thankfully it is relatively easy to keep the inside of your chimney clean which you can do from the inside of your indoor fireplace opening.

Green or unseasoned firewood is the main cause of creosote build-up so the most immediate means to reduce the possibilities of a chimney fire is to make sure to use well-cured woods. Green Wood burns much cooler than seasoned wood, and as a result the smoke is more likely to condense on the inside of the chimney which can cause indoor air hazards and creosote buildup. If you buy wood, always make sure to buy seasoned firewood, even if green wood is a bit cheaper. If you cut your own wood, make sure to do so with plenty of time to let it properly season before you need to use it to fuel your indoor fireplaces.

Building the hottest fires can also help reduce creosote buildup thus the chances of chimney fire as well. Some level of creosote buildup is inevitable, and there are two huge things you can do to further reduce the risk of a chimney fire. The first is to never burn anything that can easily catch on fire and then be pulled up from indoor fireplaces hearth then out to the chimney on a hot air current while on fire. Tissues and wrapping paper are two good examples of dangerous items to put in indoor fireplaces, as they can act as an easy transport vehicle for the flame into the chimney. The second, and perhaps most important step you can take is to have your chimney regularly cleaned by a chimney sweep, especially before the winter season when the use of indoor fireplaces is most significant.

A professional chimney sweep can virtually take away all of the creosote buildup in the chimney and could give you advises in how to keep you chimneys clean and thus your indoor fireplace operation efficient.