Understanding Fireplace Terminology

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Installing a fireplace in your home is an exciting experience, but dealing with the terminology regarding its various functions can be confusing. How do you know what each term means and whether or not it’s relevant to you? The first step towards making the best decision for your needs is to know exactly what you’re dealing with. We’ve put together a few common terms you might encounter when selecting a fireplace so that you choose one that fits in with your budget, home and lifestyle. Read more

How To Become A Quadra-fire Fireplace Master

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Investing in your wood burning fireplace was a good decision to make, and as long as you follow the provided instructions in terms of what wood to burn, how to maintain your fireplace and how to troubleshoot potential problems, you’ll have years of enjoyment ahead of you. If you’d like to take things one step further and truly become a master at the art of using a wood burning fireplace, we’ve compiled a few tips worth exploring.

Before you have your Quadrafire installed

Summer is a great time of year to have your fireplace installed, as that way you generally won’t have to wait as long for installation, and your fireplace will be ready to use when the first bout of cold weather hits. Identify your needs from your fireplace – do you require an inbuilt style or freestanding? What heat capacity or burn time are you looking for? This will help your representative recommend the best-suited fireplace for your needs.

Before you purchase wood

For your fireplace to maintain peak performance, it’s crucial you are burning the right type of firewood. The only firewood you should be burning is split and seasoned hardwood, with a moisture content of around 15%-20%. To check if your firewood is good to burn, you can purchase a moisture metre to measure the moisture levels. You can also check that the wood you have has cracks radiating in all directions from the centre, and that if you knock two pieces together that they make a sharp crack sound.

Before you light your first fire

Now that you have the right firewood and are ready to get started, make sure you’re familiar with the recommend firing process. Check your owner’s manual for instructions on how to build and light your fire.

Between fires

You now have all the tips you need to get a good fire going and are no doubt dying to have people over to show off your skills. Before you do this, make sure your Quadrafire is kept neat and clean but don’t remove the ash bed from inside it. This layer actually works as an insulator, which will make it much easier to start a fire in the future.

By implementing these tips above, you’ll soon be lighting fireplaces like you’ve been doing it your entire life!

For more information about your Quadra-fire fireplace, feel free to get in contact with us anytime!

What Gives Your Fireplace Its Characteristic Crackle?

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If you take a look at popular sleep sound machines and even online music sites, you’re bound to find several sound clips of ocean waves breaking, rain falling on leaves and, of course, wood crackling as it burns. If you own a Quadra-fire, you’ll be lucky enough to enjoy this authentic sound in the comfort of your home without venturing outside. Have you ever wondered what exactly makes wood give off this comforting noise when it’s being burnt? Allow us to explain why…

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Maximising Your Fireplace To Properly Heat Your Home

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How many fireplaces do you need to heat up the average family sized home? While the ancient English mansions you see on television might have a massive, roaring fireplace in every room, living in Australia means that we’ll never have to deal with the extreme levels of cold that would make that necessary. In fact, it’s possible to maximise a single Quadra-fire fireplace in one room in such a way that an entire home can be properly heated. Keep reading to find out how.

  • Maximise air flow

Before you decide on a Quadra-Fire fireplace, it’s important to identify your needs. Are you looking for an inbuilt or freestanding fireplace? What capacity heat output do you require? Keep in mind that when you are calculating the area, that you need to include the ceiling height. Heat naturally rises, so take this into account when doing your research. Having a fan on your unit can assist with airflow. Some people find that with particularly high ceilings, fans are sometimes needed to push some of the heat back down.

  • A long-term solution

Are you concerned about your family’s heating requirements in cold months? Not only can it be expensive to support but it also places a strain on the environment in terms of electricity consumption. With a wood burning fireplace in your home, you might want to consider a few minor renovation tweaks that will allow your fireplace to function more effectively. This can be as simple as adding pass-through vents and transoms strategically around where your Quadra-fire has been installed. This will keep the heated air flowing freely, allowing your entire household to enjoy its warmth at a low cost and with very little fuss.

Do you want more information about how to maximise your fireplace’s heating effect? Get in contact with us today!

The Materials You Should Never Burn In Your Wood Burning Fireplace

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Having a fireplace inside your home can be a great way to create a wonderful atmosphere. However, sometimes people see their fireplace as a way of disposing of items by throwing them into the fire, which can have long-lasting and detrimental effects on your fireplace. Here is a list of items you should never burn.

Coloured paper & products

The chemicals found in wrapping paper, magazines and newspaper inserts are known to give off toxic fumes when they are burned. This is made worse by the fact that paper can burn quickly, which can cause balls of still-burning paper to float up into the chimney, and ignite creosote deposits.

You should also make sure that you never burn waste products like pizza boxes or any other items that were printed with coloured inks, or Styrofoam items, as they can also release toxic fumes that can be harmful to your and your family’s health. If you are finding it difficult to light your fire, use firelighters to help get it going.

Treated wood

Wood that has been painted, stained or otherwise treated may also release a cocktail of toxic gases and carcinogens. Be sure to dispose of treated wood in a safe manner. Particulate boards, such as MDF, should also not be used in your fireplace.

Using accelerants

Be sure to never light your fire using accelerants like kerosene, gasoline, or lighter fluid in your fireplace. Using these substances may cause a dangerous flame flare-up that can be hazardous.

The wrong fuel

Fuel like coal or charcoal should never be used in a wood-burning fireplace either, as it doesn’t have the necessary materials to handle the higher heat that these fuels produce. Coal and charcoal fires often burn hotter than wood-based fires, which can damage the parts and chimney of your fireplace.

Evergreen wood

Stay away from burning evergreen fuel in your fireplace, as this type of wood’s moisture content is too high to allow the fireplace to perform the way it should. Green wood does not burn as long, as efficiently, or as hot as properly seasoned wood.

Bonus tip

You should have your fireplace swept regularly by a chimney sweep to keep your slow combustion fireplace in top working order. For more information about safely using wood burning fireplaces, contact the team at Quadrafire today.

Want To Build A Fire That Will Last Throughout The Night? Here’s How You Do It

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Most owners of wood burning fireplaces often think that waking up to a burnt-out fire is just one of the realities of owning this type of fireplace. Luckily that can’t be further from the truth – it is actually very easy to set up your fire to burn throughout the night, and in this post, we’ll show you exactly how to do it. Read more

Here Are The Best Ways To Store Your Wood Over Summer

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The Australian summer is right around the corner, which probably means that you might not be using as much wood in your wood burning fireplace anymore. However, if you believe in stocking up on wood, or still have some wood left over from the colder months, there are ways to store it so that you can look forward to high-quality fuel when it comes to getting the perfect fire going again come winter. Here’s what you should do to make sure your wood is ready when it’s time to light the fire again.

The method

The easiest way to store your wood is in an organised stack. This is especially important if you’ve recently bought wood that still needs to age and dry out.

It is important to give your wood time to age, because you should only ever burn split, seasoned wood in your fireplace. Drying, or seasoning, your wood draws out the moisture over time. You should aim to be burning wood with a moisture content of 12-15%. Firewood with too much moisture does not burn as hot, as effectively, or as long as properly seasoned wood.

The best way to store wood is by packing it in rows no more than a metre high. If your wood is still unseasoned, store it bark side down, so that it has plenty of access to air, that will help it dry out over time.

The location

Where you store your wood is just as important as how you do it. Seeing as stored wood offers great lodging for a variety of pests ranging from mice to ants, it’s recommended that you store your wood outside.

So, when you store your wood outside, pick a spot that’s breezy and dry, and that’s not too close to your home. Not only will this keep your house free from pests, it will also give the wood access to airflow that will have it dry out and season that much quicker.

Protection

Seeing as your wood should be stored outside, it’s often a good idea to protect it from rain and other sources of moisture. Storing them under an awning with a cover over the wood is often the best way to keep your wood dry. Just be sure not to cover the whole stack. This will cut off the airflow that keeps your wood dry and ready to burn.

If you have a barn or other storage space away from your home, just be sure that it has enough airflow, which will help the wood dry well, and keep pests at bay.

Related Tag: American Wood Heater

Why You Should Never Burn Unseasoned Wood

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You should never burn unseasoned or green wood in your fireplace, because it contains a much higher volume of water than seasoned wood. When the moisture content is at 25% or more, it will be duly regarded as unseasoned wood. It can take a couple of years before the moisture in the wood is finally reduced to be considered seasoned wood.

  • What are the risks

Since unseasoned wood has more moisture, it does not burn as hot or as effectively as properly seasoned wood. This affects the efficiency of your fireplace and ultimately impacts all areas of performance. Burning unseasoned wood also can increase creosote build-up.

  • What you should do

You can help prevent future issues with your wood burning fireplace by ensuring you have your chimney swept by a professional. The frequency of sweeping will depend on how much you use your fire. Although even seasoned wood does contribute to chimney residue, it produces less residue than if you were burning unseasoned wood.

  • Ventilation

The flue system for your slow combustion wood burning fireplace must always vent outside and have a cowl on top of the flue run. If you are unsure, you can always contact a professional fireplace expert in Melbourne to come and have a look at your fireplace and offer you suggestions.

  • Cleaning

There are some maintenance tasks that you can complete as a fireplace owner, such as cleaning out ash from the firebox, and cleaning the glass. Always consult your owner’s manual for information on how to perform these tasks.

Understanding which fire wood is the best for your fireplace is essential when wanting to strike up a nice warm fire and one that is both efficient and safe. If you need more information or want to get in contact with a professional wood fireplace expert in Melbourne, consider Quadrafire as your heating solutions specialists.

You Won’t Believe The Benefits Wood Ash Has Waiting For You!

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Wood fire ash from your wood fire inserts or freestanding stoves is often thrown away by most Australians but if only you knew what power the ash holds, you’d start to treasure the remains of your fire.

Here is a list of the unbelievable benefits of wood ash:

  • Greener Grass

You wood fire ash contains elements essential for the healthy growth of seeds, plants and grass. The ash contains calcium, potassium and phosphorus. Also, since ash is alkaline, it will raise or lower the pH levels in your soil, which will help enrich the soil to support healthy plant and grass growth. Calcium loving plants, such as tomatoes, can benefit from the use of ash in the soil. Simply place 1/4 cup of ash in the hole when planting for an added boost.

  • No More Pests

A safe, completely natural pest-repellent comes directly from your fireplace. Snails and slugs love to eat away at gardens and vegetable patches, but avoid ash. If you are growing a vegetable patch, laying this on the ground will help prevent pest attacks. You can even mix ash and water, and spray it over the plants.

  • Home Cleaner

Ash has a natural abrasive feature to remove dirt from surfaces including frying pans and stainless steel. Your oven’s glass can be cleaned by wetting a piece of newspaper and daubing it in ash. Gently scrub the glass and see the grime lift away!

  • Odour Control

The properties in ash have a neutralising action similar to baking soda. Its alkalinity can neutralise odours caused by acidic chemical reactions. Often, there are potent odours found in refrigerators, which can be overcome by placing a small bowl of ash at the back, and changing it every few days.

  • Miscellaneous uses

Ash contains sodium, which means it can act like a salt to melt ice. Simply spread ash over iced spots on your driveway or veranda or car windscreens. It also acts as a non-toxic metal polisher. Simply make a paste with ash and water to shine metals like silver.

With these benefits, you’ll know just how much use you can get out of your leftover ash. Now that your use of your fireplace is coming to an end with the warmer months on the way, think of the leftover ash as a great resource to complete many tasks.

Related Tag: Wood Fire Melbourne

Does Having A Fireplace In Your House Add Value To Your Property?

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Having a fireplace installed in your Melbourne home WILL add significant value to your home, and can even become the focal selling point of your house. By adding a fireplace, the benefit of its value to your home will be more than worth the time and money you spend to have it installed. Here’s how: Read more