Archive for the ‘Fireplace / Chimneys’ Category

Having a fire pit in your backyard must have been your childhood dream. Now that you are old enough you can afford to have one in reality. It is not at all tough to build a fire pit. You just need to know some rules and have the necessary materials and equipments to get going. What you need to do first is dig a hole that is big enough for the fire to build. For that you must have a shovel. As soon as your hole is done get some bricks or stones to make a line along the perimeter of the hole. This will make sure that fire does not go out of control and harm the kids around.

This will complete the initial stages of creating the fire base. After that it is an easy going process to get the wood and light the fire and start enjoying with your family.

Whenever there is a fireplace, there’s an increased reason to be safe. Even if you’ve been using a fireplace for a while now, it’s never too stupid to brush up your fireplace maintenance and safety rules often. Never use a lighter fluid to open a fire, and always use a chimney cap. Don’t leave the gas valve open for a long time. Light the fire as soon as you turn on the gas. Keep the decorations and inflammables away from the fireplace and inspect your chimneys regularly.

If you have children, take extreme precautions to ensure that you have a guard/ divider around the fireplace. Not only can children get burnt by the fire but also the door which surrounds it. Also ensure that you are close to a master valve which you can turn off in case of any unforeseen gas flow malfunctions that might happen. Also be aware of any unusual flames or smell, these could be the sign of a leakage of gas. In case of a leakage, turn off the master gas valve and open all doors and windows.

Decorating the fireplace mantle increases the beauty of the room and draws a lot of attention to the fireplace. Usually decorators use the decorating tip known as “three plus one”. According to this tip, you can select three similar objects according to your interest. Place these three objects on one side of the mantle facing towards the center of the mantle. These three objects may be pictures, candle stands, plants or decorative plates.

You can take a larger object and place it on the other side of the mantle. You can try some creative tips like hang a large picture just above the mantle, light some candles and place them on the mantle. Make sure you do not clutter the space above the mantle. That is why it is essential to keep some gap in between the objects that you plan to decorate the mantle with. Also make sure to maintain the symmetry between the left hand side and the right hand side.