It’s the season for chestnuts roasting on an open fire and with these current temperatures, there’s certainly a potential for Jack Frost to be nipping at the nose. When the temperatures begin to plummet, it’s probably fair to say that it’s more appealing to stay indoors than to venture out into the cold wind. Couple that with the earlier and earlier night falls and it’s a no brainer to snuggle up inside for some winter hibernation.
Assess Before Lighting
For many, this time of year is made easier with a healthy dose of warmth and light, courtesy of a fireplace and some candles. If you’re someone who is blessed to have a fireplace, we’re guessing that you’ve already begun the necessary assessments to make sure the fireplace operates safely. If you haven’t yet begun, start at the bottom and move up, specifically at the bottom of the fireplace and chimney.
Begin your assessment outside checking for abnormalities such as loose bricks, stains, chips, cracks or leaning in the structure. If you discover anything of merit in this checklist, stop and consult an expert. If nothing is found, move your way up the fireplace to the chimney cap. This area can become a wildlife habitat if it’s not properly maintained. Don’t forget to also check the lines along the flashing and the flue line. Stains and/or leaks indicate that all is not right and an expert should be consulted before using the fireplace.
Shine and Polish
Once you determine the fireplace and chimney is in good order, move on to inspecting the fireplace surround. This is the architectural element that surrounds the working fireplace. The surround is more than just a stylish element to the fireplace, it is also the first line of defense against stray sparks from a fire. Once you determine that all is well with the fireplace surround, finish things up by cleaning and polishing the natural stone or granite fireplace surround.
No matter how beautiful a fire is, it can leave dirt and soot, which mars the beauty of the natural flecks of color in the stone. In order to play up the natural sparkle and light, we recommend cleaning the natural stone or granite surface with Rock Doctor Granite & Quartz Cleaner. The gentle and non-abrasive cleaner removes dirt, soot and stains from the stone.
After cleaning with Rock Doctor Granite & Quartz Cleaner, we suggest applying a coat of Rock Doctor Granite & Stone Sealer to seal the fireplace surround from moisture, dirt and residual soot. The Rock Doctor Granite & Stone Sealer is safe for marble, granite and other natural stones. This dynamic cleaning duo also is eligible for a $2 mail-in rebate on each Rock Doctor purchase. For additional rebate details, click here.
Bask in the Glow
Now there’s nothing to do but enjoy the warmth and glow of a fire reflected by a beautiful fireplace surround. Happy Holidays from all of us at Rock Doctor!
This article was brought to you by Rock Doctor, which offers a line of specially formulated stone cleaner, stone polish, and stone sealer products. Rock Doctor stone care products can be purchased through a number of fine retail stores, including Wal-Mart, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ace Hardware, Do it Best Hardware, Hy-Vee, and Wegmans.
