Thursday, April 22, 2010

How To Select The Fireplace Screens

By Jeff Bridges

A fireplace can add warmth to a home in a way that nothing else can match. Fireplaces in the past were used for heating, cooking and lighting homes. Today, if you have a fireplace you will need both fireplace tools and fireplace screens.

Having a fireplace in a home today can be a great selling point, even though most homes have a primary heat source other than the fireplace. The fireplace can be located in the family room, the living room or even in the master suite.

There are self-contained fireplaces that use gas or electricity for the heat source. These fireplaces take a lot of the work of operating a fireplace away, but do not offer the heat and comfort of a wood burning fireplace. Burning wood requires storing the wood and having outdoor tools for cutting and splitting logs. On the inside, you will also require tools to tend the fire and a screen to keep it safe.

Fireplace tools are useful in managing the fire. Pokers and tongs are helpful in moving the burning logs and hot embers. Shovels and brooms are used in cleaning up ash and dust that are a part of burning wood. Fireplace screens prevent embers or sparks from escaping the fireproof portion of the fireplace and starting a fire.

A three piece standard hearth set includes a broom, shovel and a poker. The four piece set adds a set of tongs. There is usually some kind of rack or stand included in sets.

Fireplace tools must be heat resistant, so most are made of steel or iron. Some are coated with brass or copper while others are simply painted black using heat resistant enamel paint.

Another important part of the fireplace set is the log holder. These come in several sizes and may hold only a few pieces of wood or enough for a week or more. The size of your room should be considered when trying to decide what size log holder to purchase.

Fireplace tools and fireplace screens greatly enhance the safety of using a fireplace. Pokers and tongs can be used to re-arrange logs that have rolled away from the main part of the fire. The screen can prevent such coals from rolling off of the hearth and causing major damage to a home. - 2361

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