Putting A Fireplace To Good Use In Summer
When the burning season is over, what do you do with your fireplace and hearth area? Do you do nothing and just wait until it’s time to crank up the fireplace again? There’s no need to have a boring fireplace area during the warmer months. Here are some ideas that will keep your fireplace serving as an eye-catching centerpiece all year long.
Step one: clean the firebox
Use a fireplace shovel, wire brush, scrubber, cleaning solution and a good vacuum to clean your firebox before doing modifications to it or the surrounding spaces.
What can go inside your fireplace?
That big open space can hold all kinds of things from candle displays and colored lights to artwork and floral arrangements. Change the look with sections of colored material attached to the firebox walls.
Is your mantel just sitting there?
You can use your mantel for just about anything that will fit on it and brighten up your room. Framed photographs, clocks, paintings and decorative art are good choices. Consider also seasonal or holiday themes that keep your mantel and hearth area always unique and welcoming.
Consider some paint
One easy way to bring elegance and beauty to your hearth area is to simply add a unique shade of paint to the fireplace wall. This will make an attractive contrast to the other walls in the room. If you have a dominant trim color throughout your home, you could use that color or one that’s similar.
What could a custom stone surround do for your fireplace area?
A fireplace surround is basically a wall treatment that surrounds your fireplace. Surrounds can be bought pre-made, or you can have a stone contractor build you a one-of-a-kind custom fireplace surround out of:
- Fieldstone
- Ledgestone
- Cobblestone
- Round stone
- River rock
- Thin brick
You can create a simple surround that’s tight around the fireplace, or have the entire wall where the fireplace sits completely remodeled.
Necessary maintenance in the spring and summer
A newly decorated hearth area won’t be enjoyable for long if you have operational or safety issues with your fireplace and chimney. Important maintenance projects that are ideally suited for the warm months include:
Complete chimney sweeping: CSIA-certified chimney sweeps have the tools and training to safely remove flammable creosote from your chimney flue. They’ll also remove tree and small-animal debris that can hinder the drafting of smoke.
Chimney and fireplace inspection: A licensed inspector will look at your system from top to bottom and let you know about any signs of damage or malfunction. You can then get these issues resolved before they become expensive repair projects.
Chimney leak resolution: Spring and summer is the right time to find and repair any chimney leaks that may have started during the winter burning season.
By hiring a certified, licensed chimney technician for these and related jobs, you’ll not only get the work done right, but you’ll also be able to learn specifically how to keep your fireplace and chimney safe and top-performing during the long, cold winter.
Fire N’ Stone of Tilton, NH, is ready to help with all your chimney and fireplace needs. We offer custom stone work for fireplace surrounds, CSIA-certified chimney sweeping, expert chimney inspections and all manner of structural repairs and rebuilding services.
We’re here when you need us at (603) 293-4040.