Try asking 10 different people how they know for sure that the blazing hot days of summer have ended, and that the crisp, chilly nights of autumn are officially here, and you may very well end up with 10 different answers. The sun begins setting earlier in the day, for instance. Burnt-orange leaves appear in piles everywhere. Halloween candy and costumes show up on store shelves.<\/p>\n
And indeed, those are all sure signs of the changing season. But here at Estates Chimney Sweep in Bucks County, fall hasn\u2019t truly arrived until we\u2019ve spent an evening curled up in front of our wood stove or wood fireplace<\/a> with a loved one. (And yes, maybe a bottle or two of good California wine.)<\/p>\n But before getting too excited about sparking the first fire of the season, we\u2019d like to share with you a very serious and somber reminder: Fireplaces that have not been properly cleaned\u2014chimneys especially\u2014can result in house fires, severe injuries, and even death. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), roughly 26 percent of all home fires are the result of heating equipment\u2014primarily chimneys\u2014that isn\u2019t properly cleaned.<\/p>\n We know: That\u2019s not exactly the mental image you want to associate with your beloved home hearth. But let\u2019s not kid ourselves: A fireplace can be a very dangerous thing indeed if it isn\u2019t properly maintained. And that\u2019s exactly why we\u2019ve compiled this fall-time fireplace preparation guide. Simply follow the steps outlined below, and you should be in perfectly good shape to enjoy your wood stove or fireplace<\/a> throughout the end of the winter season.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re the owner of a wood fireplace, you should know that a highly flammable byproduct known as creosote is released whenever your wood is burned. Because creosote builds up on the inside walls of your chimney, a few small sparks are all it takes to start a potentially dangerous house fire. What\u2019s the solution? According to the NFPA, it\u2019s as simple as having your fireplace inspected and cleaned by a professional Bucks County chimney sweep<\/a>\u2014as long as that professional is certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA).<\/p>\n Good ol\u2019 common sense tells us that you won\u2019t be having much of a fire without something to burn\u2014namely wood pellets, seasoned wood, or whichever wood stove or fireplace combustible happens to work best for your particular needs.<\/p>\nHave Your Fireplace Properly Serviced<\/h2>\n
Stock Up on Supplies<\/h2>\n