Cooler weather is finally on the way, and your home’s fireplace may be put in service to set the stage for holiday gatherings.

Before you light the first logs of the season take some simple steps to improve the safety and efficiency of your wood burning fireplace.

Annual chimney maintenance removes flammable creosote, the major cause of chimney fires, and identifies other performance or structural problems.

Cracks, voids, and breaches on the inside of a chimney or chimney liner can allow heat in the smoke chamber to pass through and ignite the home’s wood frame structure.

If you haven’t had the chimney cleaned in a few years, or burn more than one cord of wood a year, you should start with a Level One inspection by a professional chimney sweep or fireplace cleaning company.

The inspector will come with a flashlight to look inside the fireplace for cracks in the masonry, obstructions or creosote buildup, and tell you if you need a sweep. The typical cost for inspection + sweep should run around $200.

ALevel Two inspection is more detailed with video scanning of interior surfaces, and roof, attic and crawl space inspections--probably not necessary unless you have experienced an earthquake, or are making major changes to your fireplace.

Gas-burning fireplaces need regular maintenance too. Inspect glass doors for cracks or latch issues and check that gas logs are in proper position. Ignite the fire and look for clogged burner holes.

Gas lines may need to be cleaned of dust, lint or spider webs. Over time, valves and connections could develop leaks. Aprofessional inspection will ensure your fireplace isn’t transferring heat and gases, like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, inside the spaces between the walls into the house.

Soot residue can build up in a gas fireplace depending the placement and condition of the logs, the gas-to-air ratio of the flammable mixture and the efficiency of the gas burner openings.

Have a chimney cap installed to prevent objects, varmints or rain from falling into your chimney, and to act as a spark arrestor to prevent hot embers from landing on the roof. Remove any tree limbs or branches above or near the chimney.

Inspect the flue damper to make sure it opens, closes, and seals properly. If you don’t have a fireplace inspection, get your flashlight out and check the flue for combustible material or other foreign objects such as animal nests.

You should be able to see daylight at the top. And always have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors installed in your home.

Adriana Donofrio Podley Properties Glendora (626) 926-9700 adrianad@podley.com