We have a fireplace in the living room.  When a good fire is going, it will warm the entire room and the heat will start moving upstairs.  It’s a wonderful resource for saving money on our heating bill.

Building a fire is all about building layers.  You can’t hold a match to a log and have it catch on fire.  But, you can hold a match to paper and have it catch on fire, and that fire can feed some small twigs or kindling, and that fire can feed larger sticks or kindling, which will feed a log.

The whole secret is to make sure that the wood is actually burning before adding the next level.  If you throw a big log on top of kindling that isn’t burning yet, then it’s likely going to put out the fire.

Before beginning, make sure your flue is open and your chimney is clean.

1.  Ball up some newspaper.

2.  Place several little sticks or kindling on top of the newspaper.

3.  Light the newspaper on fire.

4.  When the kindling is good and burning, place larger pieces of kindling on top of it.

5.  When the larger kindling is good and burning, place your logs on top of it.

6.  Feed the fire as necessary, adding logs as needed.

Hallee

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