Fireplace Accessories Tools
Fireplace accessories tools can encompass a broad range of things. Here are three that will make your fireplace experience a great one.
Ash Removal System: Can a shovel and an ash bucket be called a system? Well when you are protecting your home and property it most certainly can be. Taking out the ashes is a serious matter. Embers can remain hot for a very long time. The need to control the removal is a must. The bucket must be metal. A tight fitting lid is essential. This is the first step in the process. Scoop out the excess ash from your fireplace, fireplace insert or stove. Be careful where to set the bucket if the remains are still hot, for it will heat up the metal fast. Take outside to a place where the embers can burn themselves out. Two days is not uncommon. Take the lid off, stir with a metal rod to see all embers are out and cooled down. Disposal of the ashes can be accomplished in different ways. Some folks use some ash to enrich the garden soil, others put it directly into the trash can.
Vacuum: One of the least enjoyable jobs with a fireplace is cleaning it out. Some fireplaces come with a built in ash push through to the outside of the house. This can be great if the ashes are dead with no embers. However, most of us need to scoop them into a bucket and haul them out. Would it not be nice to just sweep them up with a fireplace vacuum? Of course! No more fine ash all around the room or even the house. No more dirty hands or dusty cloths. Just plug in and have at it. Just make sure there are no live embers.
Fireplace Bellows: While not thought of as a “must have,” a set of fireplace bellows is a handy item to keep by the fireplace. When getting a fire started, a fireplace bellows can help to quickly get the job done. A bellows is nothing more than a way to increase the air flow to the fire. This is done by an expanding bladder which takes in air on the expansion stroke and expels it on the compression stroke. This puts a concentrated air stream where it does the most good.
Just remember clean that chimney annually and burn hard woods.
James Dahlberg
