Must-Have Fireplace Accessories

How would you like to get more enjoyment from your fireplace than you already do? Having the proper tools can make tending a fire a genuine pleasure. You can also buy tools and accessories that add to your home’s décor in a significant way. A short overview of the essential tools to have on hand.

Fireplace Screen

A fireplace screen is an important accessory because of the added safety it provides. Unless you have glass doors on your fireplace that remain closed when a fire is lit, keeping a screen in front of the fire is a must. It is impossible to predict when a hot ember or spark will escape a fire and be propelled into your home, catching combustible materials on fire. Although a fireplace screen is a must-have, you don’t have to buy one merely for its functionality. There are amazing screens available that can greatly enhance your décor. Why not buy an art deco screen, for a functional accessory that can also serve as a wow factor and a great conversation piece? There are many different materials and styles available, and you can almost certainly find a decorative fireplace screen that upgrades the appearance of your fireplace and the entire room.

Handheld Bellows

The best way to revive a waning fire is to give it a good blast of air. A handheld bellows is the best fireplace accessory for injecting some life into dying embers. The simplest form of bellows is a flexible, accordion-type bag with a rigid board on each side. The boards are also handles that you use to pull air into the bellows by expanding them and then closing the device, which projects air into a fire in a neat stream. The air does a good job of stoking a fire without making a mess of the ashes.

Standard Fireplace Tools

The set of fireplace tools that are typically seen near a fireplace is not a token fireplace ornament or an unnecessary use of space. Keeping a fire going in your fireplace is not something that comes automatically, either. Various manipulations of the logs are often needed, and fireplace tools can help you get the job done without getting burned. Standard fireplace tools include the following:

• A poker is a long metal rod that is used to stir and prod a fire. You might use your poker to pull coals together so that they provide stronger heat for the purpose of igniting softwood and kindling. As firewood burns down to the point of being charcoal, you can stir the charcoal into fresh flames by poking it with a poker and also using a bellows, for more air.
• The tongs should be strong enough and simple enough to use that you can safely pick up fiery logs and re-position them in the firebox.
• The shovel is used to scoop up ash. Be sure to use extreme caution with fireplace ash because many home fires are caused by improper handling of ash.
• The brush in a fireplace tool set is made with special broom straw or bristles that won’t melt in the heat near a fire. The brush is used to sweep stray ashes back into the fireplace and to keep your firebox neat.

Other Great Fireplace Accessories

The above-named fireplace accessories are must-haves. The following can also enhance your experience of using your fireplace:

• Extra-long wooden matches make it safer and easier to get your fire going than other options.
• If you don’t have some sort of built-in area for logs, a basket case for logs can help you keep your stock of logs for the fire neatly organized. Many stylish options for log storage are available.
• Andirons serve the purpose of holding burning logs in the fireplace, but they don’t have to be purely functional. There are many designs that can further enhance the appearance of your fireplace, from elegant to rustic to clever.

Contact any of our stores for more information or for help choosing fireplace accessories.