this old houses fireplace hasnt seen a flame in like 20 years.ive got a big Xmas gathering planned and id like to fire it off.what should i look for?? the reason its been down is because they say it smoked the house up..maybe an extension on the outside flew would help? i split a chord of oak today so sooner or later im gonna stoke it.
hep a brutha out.

that chimney needs a good inspection, make sure it's clear of any shit or animals nests.
make sure the lining is not all busted.
check the draft with the smoke from your cig, when you hold your cig near the chimney the smoke should be sucked up the chimney.

how do i check the lining?

Hey Fix,

To check the inside of your chimney, use a bright flashlight, look up from the bottom, and look very carefully for light coming in from the walls, broken or missing pointing, cracked pipe. Also look down from the top, if you can get up there.

My fireplace needs preheating, after I open the flu, I roll up some paper, light it up, and hold it up into the chimney until the rising heat starts to draw up, and with it the smoke. Don't burn your hands ! it may take two or three tries, but if everything else is OK, and the flu is open, it will begin to draw the smoke up.
Good Luck Paul, it's dirty in there :)

Fix if you want to have a nice Xmas get a pro who will inspect and clean. Well worth the peace of mind..DIY has torched a lot of homes..

im putting fire in the hole today..looks Aok up the shoot.dropped a firecracker down the chim and flushed the bats out.

burn it up!

im putting fire in the hole today..looks Aok up the shoot.dropped a firecracker down the chim and flushed the bats out.

ha ha!

I love that!


what my dad used to do to get the heat flow going was fire up the small propane heater he had underneath to get the hot air moving up. otherwise your gonna blow the wrong direction.

You know; Some homeowners insurance will give you a break if you get that chimney cleaned once a year. One of my past lives was that of a chimney sweep. For the price of one cleaning, you can buy the brush and poles at lowes or home depot. Measure the inside of the flue to size the brush. The poles all snap or screw together. Clean from the top down. hang sheets and let the shop vac run inside the sheets while you're brushing. That will keep the dust down.
I've also heard of people using a sack of rocks on a rope, and even pulling an old christmas tree through the chimney with a rope.
Be safe.