How to Start a Fire in a Fireplace

Starting a fire in a fireplace can often be quite daunting because the first thing that the fireplace wants to do is to fill your room full of smoke. This is because, on a cold day the air outside the house is heavier than the air inside and it comes flowing down the chimney. This problem can be solved by doing the following:

First you have to clean your fireplace of any old ashes or firewood. Then you relay your fire, it is all right to use the old would then. Start with some kindling at the bottom of your would be fire. This is finely cut scrap wood that will catch on fire easily. In an engineering sense it is really a second fire. The first fire is usually some crumpled up newspapers or other easily ignitable substance that catches the kindling alight. On top of the kindling you can place the old partially burned logs from your previous fire. This actually constitutes your main source of fuel.

Now that you have laid the basis for a new fire you have to reverse the air flow that is coming down the chimney. This is done by making a torch out of newspaper that has been rolled up into a tight cone. Set the top of this cone alight as a torch, and thrust it burning up into the inside of your chimney. Hold it there for about a minute as the newspaper burns down. This is reversing the flow of air in your chimney allowing you to start a fire without smoking up the room with your fireplace. You actually start the fire using what is left of the newspaper cone to set afire the newspaper or other flammable substance that you have placed under the kindling.

Your fire should be laying out on a set of andirons or a cast-iron basket. Your fireplace also has to be equipped with a spark proof screen so that sparks and embers will not come out of the fireplace to burn your house down.

Even though you are burning seasoned wood in your fireplace it is a good idea to move the next logs that you are going to burn up closer to the flame in the fireplace so that they will further dry out. This will make these logs much easier to burn when you are ready for them. However, do not place them close enough to the flames to catch a fire themselves.

Fireplaces are especially nice during the holidays, but remember to not go away from your fireplace while it is burning at any time because a fireplace is extremely dangerous if unattended. This is another good example of how you can have a holiday fire through your inattention.