Start the Fire

Dust off your fireplace to get it ready for the cooler months

- MAEGAN-LEIGH JACOBS

With autumn and winter approaching but not yet in full swing, now is the perfect time to get your fireplace up and running. Autumn is a busy season for fireplace professionals, so book cleaning and servicing in advance.

CLEAR CLUTTER

Your possessions accumulate around the fireplace when you are not using it during summer: magazines, new decor you just haven't found a home for, and other odds and ends that tend to clutter an unused space over time. Before using your fireplace again, clear all these items away. The same goes for rugs or furnishings you may have picked up over the summer. It is also important to ensure anything flammable is clear of the hearth before you start using your fireplace again.

CLEAN THE CHIMNEY