I have a fireplace, a cord of split, seasoned wood, and a cold family. So I make a lot of fires. But, for me, nothing about a fire is ever consistent—not the tinder or kindling or logs. So, I always ...

Fireplaces are indisputably cozy. They evoke fresh snow and hot cocoa, winter weekends spent holed up in rustic cabins, favorite stews simmering on the stove. While installing a real, wood-burning one ...

correctionAn earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the National Fire Protection Association as the National Fire Protection Agency. The article has been corrected. It’s that time of ...

Before starting a fire, open the fireplace damper so smoke can properly exit through the chimney. Use kiln-dried firewood for the cleanest burn and least chimney build-up. Kindling lights quickly, but ...

The comfort of a flame remains timeless, but a newer approach to home fireplaces is turning heads thanks to easier upkeep and fewer seasonal chores.

Q. Tim, I need your help. I’ve got a masonry fireplace that puffs smoke into the room when a fire is burning. It gets worse as the fire dies down. I’ve spoken with three different bricklayers who ...

Every winter, I get quite a few emails from readers who suffer from smoky fireplaces. Just a month ago, one of my amateur radio friends reached out to me with the same problem. After asking him some ...

If the fireplace has been used before remove excess ash and soot. Use a metal bucket to avoid accidental fires. Open your air control or dampener to allow air to flow through the chimney. Refer to ...