There are some things about your chimney that can’t be taken for granted. Opening up the damper when you’re burning a fire is a necessity because otherwise smoke will be sucked back into your home. Closing it is important when there’s not a fire in order to keep your conditioned air inside. The chimney cap is a major player because it keeps the rain out of your chimney. The chimney liner is important because it protects the brick and mortar from getting eaten away from the chemicals in smoke. But there are other things that you don’t think about so often, chimney extras to consider.
Clean-Out Doors
When you burn a wood fire in your fireplace or appliance, of course, there’s going to be clean up involved. You’ll want to get rid of the ash and debris that fall to the bottom of the appliance. Clean-out doors can make this a much more pleasant task. These clean-out doors are located either on the interior or exterior of your home. They make it easy to access the nasty debris that’s left after you burn a fire, but sometimes, if you forget to clean these out from time to time, they can become blocked, or they can become damaged or worn out over time. It’s important to make sure that your clean-out doors stay in great working condition, and Owens Chimney Systems can help you do just that.
Firebacks
Have you ever heard of a fireback? Maybe not. A fireback is a piece of metal that sits in the back of the fireplace and radiates heat back out into your living area. If this sounds like a simple idea, well, it is. Because it’s made of metal, it absorbs the heat, and that’s why it can direct the heat back into the room. Today’s fireplaces sometimes use fans or other devices to do this same thing, but why depend on these when you can use this tried and true method? You can even get firebacks that have designs in them to make them decorative.
Smoke Guards
Have you ever experienced smoke rolling out of your fireplace? There’s something that you can do about that as well. Often this is caused because the flue isn’t sized correctly, and that can lead to a smoke-filled room. An effective problem solver? A smoke guard. If you think you are having this problem, try this. If it works, then give Owens Chimney Systems a call and buy a real one. Take a strip of aluminum foil about the length of the fireplace opening. Double it until it’s four inches or so, tape it to the top of the fireplace to make the opening four inches smaller at the top. This will keep the flue from exhausting as much air. If it works, buy something more permanent!
If you are interested in any of these fireplace extras, or any other fireplace accessory, give Owens Chimney Systems a call or stop by. We’ll help you find just what you’re looking for!