Orange County
(714) 843-9944

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(562) 595-5122

Los Angeles
(310) 377-8163

Orange County
(714) 843-9944

Long Beach
(562) 595-5122

Los Angeles
(310) 377-8163

Founder: Steve Lovsteen

How To Close Your Fireplace For Spring and Summer

At the end of summer, homeowners will close their pools. Campers will winterize their RVs. Spas and hot tubs likewise need to be winterized. So what about fireplaces? Should they be closed for spring and summer?

Yes, you should close off a fireplace for spring and summer. Here are a few reasons why as well as the steps you should take to do it the right way.

Gas Fireplace Logs in Los Angeles CA

Why you should close off a fireplace for spring and summer

There are several important reasons to close off a fireplace for spring and summer. Let’s start with the most obvious: climate control. Energy usage costs money. The more you lose through your chimney, the more it will cost you to keep your home cooled during the warmer months.

Less obvious are reasons such as increased humidity and pest control. Although the latter can be mitigated with a cap, the more humidity you let into your home the higher your risk will be for mold growth. Closing your fireplace during the spring and summer helps reduce the impact of this on your home.

And if by some chance your cap is missing, the last thing you want to have to happen is animals making a mess (both with smells and otherwise) within your chimney.

Step 1: Clean the firebox, hearth, and other components

First, you should remove all excess soot and ash from the firebox. Then, vacuum out any remnants before using a stiff brush to scrub the various components within it. Use baking soda and water to remove any soot stains on your hearth.

Also during this time, if you have a gas-powered fireplace, be sure to turn off both the gas and pilot light. Then, once cooled, clean the burners with a stiff brush.

Step 2: Close your damper

Once cleaned, your next step is to close the damper. Whenever your fireplace is not in use during the winter months, you should already be in the habit of closing your damper. 

Chimney Damper Tips

Top Mount Chimney Damper Installation in Laguna Beach CA

So this step might not seem like a big deal initially, but hear us out. You should not leave your damper open all summer long – period. Otherwise, you’ll risk higher energy costs as well as the aforementioned humidity problems.  A Top Mount Chimney Damper Installation can improve your savings!

 

Step 3: Schedule a sweep and inspection

Once you’ve performed both of the above two steps, the next thing you will want to do is to contact our company for your annual sweep and inspection. While you’ve taken care of many of the surface-level steps to close off a fireplace for spring and summer, there are still several things left to do.

Chimney Sweep and Inspection in Rancho Palo Verdes CA

One of those is to inspect all critical components of your fireplace, including the flue itself, cap, crown, flashing, and the condition of your masonry. While at your home, a professional chimney sweep will be able to get up into the inner portion of your flue to remove any creosote build-up within it. This will help minimize the risk of creosote exposure affecting your family’s health while also reducing the risk of a house fire.

Our team is specially trained to take care of all of these needs and more. Would you like help as you close off your fireplace for spring and summer? Then let us know. Schedule your appointment today by calling Oliver Twist at (714) 843-9944 or by sending us a message through our short contact form.