The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 says, “Chimneys, fireplaces, and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs shall be done if necessary.” We recommend cleaning your chimney whenever you get a 1/8″ of soot or creosote. The best time to clean a chimney is Spring Summer or early Fall.
Fireplaces can be safe, as long as you perform the correct procedures. It’s important to inspect your fireplace and chimney for creosote or other items such as a birds nest clogging the chimney. Make sure your flue damper opens and closes properly, look for gaps around the edge of the damper and other obstructions. Gas fireplaces also need some inspections and if done properly you will have a safe fireplace to enjoy for the winter season.
Most experts say that an open wood burning fireplace is only 10-15% efficient. You can improve that by using tempered glass doors, replacing the damper, and adding a few more energy efficiency products. A better solution is to consider an insert which manages all of the for you and provide up to 78% overall heating efficiency. we have inserts which can give you a heating capacity of up to 2,500 square feet. At the same time these inserts will help to increase your burn time on your wood logs.