If one has purchased a home that contains a fireplace, getting it inspected would be a priority. Making sure it is safe to use will give you peace of mind when lighting the first fire. Items to have checked include the chimney cap, creosote, soot, mortar in a brick chimney, and rusted metal or missing screws. Once inspected, it is time to move on to preventive mode. Fireplace grates will save both time when it comes to clean up, and money, in your heating and maintenance costs.

A wood fireplace grate built correctly, will divert more heat into the home. They will also burn the wood at a higher temperature, preventing build up in the chimney. Some grates have air jets. These help rebuild the fire when new logs are added.

Most fireplace grates are made of iron or steel, and can withstand the high temperatures needed in your fireplace. Most wood fires will only reach 900 to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. To burn your wood effectively, a fire needs to reach the 1400-degree mark. Burning at too low a temperature is what causes smoke and the build up of both soot and creosote. The newer grates are built with patented designs to create drafts in the correct places. Some fireplace grates create an area where the logs do not require constant poking, or stirring, as they are curved enough that the logs fall towards the hottest part of the fire, thereby igniting itself. Brands to consider when researching grates would be EcoFire Super-Grate, Spitfire, Landmann, and Pilgrim.

The choices in how to get the best use out of the fireplace are very different from the years of the past. Now you also have the option to install a type of hearth heater. This is more a stove that is installed over the existing fireplace. Some have a fan, which will blow the heat into the room. Some of these types of heaters can accept up to a 22" log. They are also 90% cleaner burning over the conventional fireplace. Keep in mind these are not a safe choice where small children are present, for they depend on radiant heat so the outside of the unit becomes dangerously hot.

A fireplace that is correctly maintained, one that is hot enough to burn the wood, will save the homeowner countless dollars on their winter heating bills. Before you build that first fire, research fireplace grates. Find the one that will save you countless hours of cleaning, less ash, and most importantly, no smoke in your home.