14 Tips to Refresh Your Fireplace for a Cozy Winter

Tis the season for fireplace repair and maintenance. With temperatures plummeting and nights growing longer, fireplaces are becoming the new focal points in homes. If you’re planning to sell your home during the holiday season, fireplace repair and maintenance is of special importance. Prospective buyers will be excited to learn that your fireplace is functional. Use these tips to repair and tend to your fireplace’s maintenance. Then, set it alight during viewings to entice homebuyers to imagine themselves snuggling into your living areas!

Tips to repair your fireplace and prepare for snug winter nights

1. Season and store firewood

People usually prefer to burn oak in their fireplaces. It’s slow burning with an even, very warm burn. It’s pricier than other woods, though. Learn about the best kinds of firewood for your chimney and fireplace specifications. Before you purchase a “cord” of firewood, make sure you have a dry place to store and season it outside. You’ll also want a small spot inside your home, preferably near your your fireplace, so it’s easy to keep your fire stoked. If you are unable to keep stored firewood dry, it will burn incorrectly (or not at all) and damage your fireplace. These days, there are several shelf designs on the market that look amazing on a front or back porch, or inside a garage or an outdoor shed.

2. Replace fireplace accessories

 Do you need to replace or find any of the lovely tools and accessories that keep your fire stoked and your home toasty warm? Think about items like the like grates, pokers, brushes, pans, fireplace lighters, etc. and don’t forget the stand that holds all of these tools!

3. Scrub bricks and remove soot

It sounds like a punishment but it’s actually a strangely satisfying and motivating task. Wash away the grime of years past and let your fireplace sparkle a new as you enhance its basic functions and aesthetic appeal. This step is performed with the inspection. As you clean the bricks and mantle, you’ll reveal areas that may need some repair.

4. Inspect your fireplace

Look for cracks, holes, and chips along the inside of your fireplace, including its floor, flute, and interior walls. The two canaries in the coal mind, when it comes to fireplace maintenance, are damages surfaces and signs of wetness. Call an expert for an on-site consultation if you notice any signs of disrepair.

5. Take a look at the chimney before Santa does

Hop on the roof and see how the chimney looks from above. Your inspections should include the exterior chimney bricks, flashing, and firebox. As with the inside of your fireplace, look for water stains and signs of dampness. Aside from water damage, keep your eyes peeled for leaning, chipped, or cracked bricks and masonry. Check for corrosion, stains, or loose sections if your chimney is metal. If your chimney is exposed to your attic, you should also check there. Call an expert for an on-site consultation if you notice any signs of disrepair.

6. Add or replace a chimney cap for extra protection

The only thing going up and down the chimney (besides Santa) should be air and smoke. A chimney cap makes that possible and prevents anything else – like animals, water, snow, branches, etc. – from getting in and causing damage.

7. Check your smoke detectors

The only thing more relaxing than a toasty fire is a toasty fire in a home with updated fire safety! Are your smoke detector batteries fresh? Is the smoke detector working?

8. Make a home fire escape plan

While you inspect the safety of your home’s smoke detector devices, confirm your fire safety plan with your family. If you have children, use this template from the National Fire Protection Association to create your home fire escape plan and teach it to your kids.

9. Upgrade mantle elements

Whether your current fireplace is outdated or worn out, it may be time to upgrade the brick and other finishings of your mantle and fireplace. Consider replacing your existing fireplace with a new stone floor and mantle to add value to your home if you’re planning to sell it soon. A fireplace glow up will enhance your home’s interior look and feel, increasing your home value and making it look more winter-ready and appealing to homebuyers.

10. Paint or polish the mantle

Transform your annual maintenance routine a complete makeover with a new hue. Make sure to browse paints that are made especially for bricks and fireplaces. Don’t be scared to select a bolder accent color or opt for a muted classic.

11. Update art, photos, and mantle adornments

If you plan to list your home on the market this winter, your mantle accessories should be minimalist and less personal. Rather than make the family portrait the centerpiece, consider modern and artful photos, lamps, or other items. The odd family photo isn’t problematic, but less is more to encourage homebuyers to see their families in your home.

12. Install a wood-burning stove

This step is entirely optional but if you’re ready to invest in making your fireplace superior, consider adding a wood-burning stove! They’re particularly beneficial in the coldest regions of the U.S. since they’re incredibly efficient at creating hot, slow burning fires that kick out a lot of heat. They also have superior ventilation and ash collection systems, too. A well-designed wood-burning stove adds value to homes in places where there is a definite need for heat in the winter.

13. Light it up

Put your DIY inspection to the test and start a fire! Does it light and ventilate well? If so, you’re a pro at fireplace repair and you’re sure to have a toasty winter. Smoke or the inability to maintain a flame are signs that your fireplace isn’t working optimally. In this case, call an expert.

14. Call Curbio for pre-listing fireplace repairs and maintenance

Tell us about your fireplace. What are your challenges and specific maintenance issues? Is your fireplace outdated, unsafe, or generally out-of-use? We work with homeowners throughout the country to prepare homes for the market, and we’re experts in home improvements – including fireplace repair.

Fireplace repair and maintenance with Curbio

As your comprehensive pre-listing home improvement expert, we’ll repair and maintain your fireplace – and help with all the home repairs needed – to make your home listing lit this winter. Keep the fire stoked for a cozy winter and a cheerful winter home listing. Talk to your real estate agent today about working with Curbio.