How to Make a Good Fire in Your Fireplace

The Fire is So Delightful

All you want is a flickering fire, but all you get is a fire that fizzles. So frustrating. If starting a fire makes your temper flare, follow these tips and you'll have a nice toasty fire going in no time. Downward Dog, Upward Draft Make sure your chimney is drafting upward. To check, open the damper. If there's a cold draft coming down, the chimney has reversed itself. To correct this, place a crumpled piece of newspaper up through the damper. It should stay in place by itself. Light the paper, and watch it. As it warms the chimney, it should get pulled upward. If it does, light the starter or newspaper under your fire. The heat will continue to warm the chimney so it won't reverse again. Kindling Counts

Take fire starters or crumpled sheets of newspaper and place them in your fireplace. Place dry kindling over the paper or starter. Kindling are small sticks or shards of wood that will light easily. Crisscross the kindling so there's space between each piece.

Wood Is Good

Take some smaller pieces of hardwood and place them on top of the kindling. To maintain the fire, you'll want to use dry, seasoned hardwood. Generally, seasoned firewood is lightweight, has darkened ends, and will have cracks or splits.

Light My Fire

To light the fire, take a match or lighter and light two pieces of newspaper at opposite ends of each other. The fire will start to burn the kindling first. After 10 minutes, the hardwood will begin to catch fire. Make sure there's a constant flame because a fire that smokes or smolders produces pollutants. Remember to add more wood before the fire gets too low.

Burn, Baby, Burn

To keep the fire burning at a constant temperature, use hardwoods such as oak or cherry. For a nice steady burn, make sure there's a good draft and an adequate bed of red-hot embers.