A fireplace is often the main feature in a room. Pictures and keepsakes are displayed on the mantel, and during the holidays, the pictures are exchanged for Christmas stockings. A fire crackling in the fireplace adds to the ambiance while the heat it generates helps to warm the area. A closed vent can cause smoke to billow into the room, but using the fireplace vents properly ensures enough air feeds the fire and the smoke escapes up the chimney.
Prepare your fire in the fireplace by placing two dry, seasoned logs onto the grate. Place a kindling between the two logs such as dry leaves, twigs, bark, dried pine needles or small pieces of split, dried softwood. Loosely crumple old newspaper and push it under the grate.
Open the fireplace vent at the top of the firebox. Check along the top of the firebox until you locate the vent lever. Read the label on the lever to determine which way to move the lever to open the vent, if the lever is labeled. Alternatively, shine a flashlight up the flue to view the vent damper if your lever is not labeled. Move the lever and watch for the damper to open. Note the location of the lever for the next time you build a fire.
Close all your windows and doors. Ensure your clothes dryer is off and there are no exhaust fans running when attempting to light the fire. These things can disrupt the air draft up through the vent in extremely cold weather. As long as the vent is fully open, the chimney will heat, and the smoke will vent properly.
Light the paper under the grate, using a fireplace match.
Let the flames die and the coals cool completely before closing the vent. Ensure that the fire is extinguished, then close the vent tightly to keep the cold air from entering your home.
Things You Will Need
- Seasoned logs
- Fireplace match
- A fully open vent allows the smoke to travel up the chimney. It also allows fresh air to feed the fire and keep it burning.
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