Preparing your fireplace for winter

Creosote-lined flues are a chimney fire-and potentially hazardous explosion-just waiting to happen. Experts recommend inspecting a flue before each season of burning. Inspect the condition of the spark arrestor that sits atop that chimney to ensure there are no tears in the fabric. Before making your first fire for the season, be sure to open the damper and leave it open whenever you make a fire.

Above information from News & Record, November 30, 2003