Want to enjoy a warm, crackling fire all year round? Get an indoor fireplace! It will keep you cozy during the biting cold winter and spruce up the appearance of your home. That said, installing and maintaining a fireplace takes a lot of work. You must inspect the chimney, clean the ashes, and use the right fireplace tools and equipment. This quick guide lists a few critical things you must know before getting a fireplace.

Different types of fireplaces
First things first, fireplaces come in different types, and not every setup looks the same. Here are a few well-liked designs people choose to have in their homes:

Free-standing: rests on the floor
Open hearth: built directly into a wall
Outdoor: installed outside the home
Wall-mounted: electric fireplaces mounted on a wall
Wood-burning: burn wood to generate heat

Necessary fireplace tools
You might need to invest in the following tools if you decide to get a wood-burning fireplace:

Tong or log grabber
A tong is a fork-shaped instrument that helps remove or add hot wood to decrease or increase fire.

Poker
Pokers help adjust coal or wood to stir up the fire and increase heat.

Shovel
Shovels aid in gathering and disposing of fire residue.

Brush
It helps brush off the area and remove ash particles before starting a new fire.

Besides these tools, you can purchase fireplace and woodstove accessories to enhance safety and improve the system’s efficiency. Popular accessories include stove trays, ash vacuums, bellows, a portable firewood cart, a skillet, and flame-resistant gloves.

Maintaining a woodstove
A woodstove is a popular alternative to a traditional fireplace due to its efficiency. You can improve the longevity and safety of your stove with regular upkeep. Here are four woodstove maintenance tasks to perform:

Sweep the chimney
The most critical aspect of woodstove upkeep is chimney sweeping, which must be done at least once a year.

Clean the ash
Ash can build up in the oven due to secondary combustion. Clean out all the ash accumulated throughout the winter using an oven cleaner.

Examine the gaskets
The gasket greatly influences your woodstove’s performance. Although a minor part, it must be monitored.

Change the fire bricks
Look at your fire bricks after each season to determine if any are cracked or need replacement.

Benefits of fireplaces
Fireplaces and woodstoves are among the most handy assets to have at home. A fireplace can add warmth and architectural appeal, enhancing your home’s vibrancy, beauty, and luxury. Here are a few major advantages of fireplace construction:

Makes homes comfortable
A fireplace makes a home feel cozier. Other heating systems can sometimes make the house draughty.

Provides warmth
It ensures your house stays warm and comfortable without breaking the bank.

Reduces expenses
A fireplace can reduce utility expenses by producing heat without using the heating system as frequently.

Improves aesthetics
Fireplaces are fantastic decorative features. Every time you host someone, they will be drawn to the fireplace.

Should you get an electric fireplace?
Electric fireplaces are convenient for smaller homes and people who do not want to light a fire indoors. However, it can raise your energy bill. The exact amount of power consumption will depend on factors like the brand and the room’s square footage.