There is nothing quite like the cozy warmth of a fire in the fireplace on a cold winter night. Fire provides a place to gather and spend time with family and friends. But if you want to keep your home safe and maintain your fireplace, there are tools and accessories you should have on hand. Here are a few essential fireplace tools to help you manage your fire safely.
Essential Fireplace Tools: Poker
A fireplace poker is an essential tool to have when managing a fire. It helps move burning logs to adjust the flame. Keep your fireplace pokers close by while enjoying a fire. The poker allows you to safely add or remove wood from the flames and avoid burns.
Fireplace Grate
A fireplace grate is helpful when building a fire. The grate holds burning logs to keep them safely within the firebox. When shopping for a grate, choose one made of wrought iron, which will last longer than steel. Consider getting a grate with legs that allow increased air circulation underneath the logs.
Essential Fireplace Tools: Bellows
Bellows are great for stoking the fire when the flames are low or have gone out. Bellows have two flat pieces of wood connected by leather with a nozzle at one end, allowing air to flow through the other side when squeezed. This tool creates a current of air that helps oxygen reach the burning wood, reigniting or growing the flames.
Firewood Rack
A firewood rack is important for keeping wood off the ground and easier to access. An ideal size for an indoor rack would be approximately three feet wide and three feet deep, providing ample storage space while still fitting neatly in your living room or den area near the fireplace.
Tongs
Fireplace tongs are designed with long handles to grab larger logs without getting too close to hot flames or ashes inside the hearth. These are especially helpful when positioning heavier logs in the back of the firebox. Tongs can also help you rearrange burning firewood to promote better circulation.
These essential tools and accessories make managing your fireplace much easier and safer. Whether stoking flames with bellows or moving logs with tongs, having these tools handy will make tending your fires easy. When preparing for the winter season, make sure you have a set of tools on hand to help manage the fire all winter.
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