DIY guideFireplace

Look over the fireplace firebox and damper

With the fireplace cold, test the damper, shine a light up the flue, and check the brick and the hearth. Sweeping stays a pro's.

8 steps

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Make sure the fire has been out a full day and the ash is cold.
Ash can stay hot for days.
Reach up inside, find the damper's handle or chain, and open it. It should move freely and stay open.
Shine a flashlight up. You should see the flue clear to the top, with no nest or blockage.
Wear glasses: soot and grit can fall.
Shiny black or flaky crust on the flue walls means a sweep is due. Note it.
Look at the brick or panels inside for cracks, gaps in the mortar, or loose pieces.
The hearth in front should be whole, with nothing that burns close to it.
Close the damper whenever no fire is lit, so your heat doesn't go up the flue.
Cracks, crumbling mortar, thick crust, a stuck damper, or smoke into the room: don't light it. Ask Handyman for a chimney sweep.

Handyman says: Cracked? I'll book a chimney sweep.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.