Why October is the month to do it
Fireplace season in Los Angeles County is short and arrives all at once. Most homes don't light a fire until the first properly cold evenings, usually in late November or December, and that's when everyone discovers at the same moment that the damper is stuck or the room fills with smoke.
Doing the checks now means anything that turns up can be fixed before you actually want a fire, while there's still time to schedule the work at a convenient time rather than an urgent one.
What you can check yourself
None of this needs a ladder or tools. With the fireplace cold:
- Open the damper and look up the flue with a flashlight. You should see either daylight or the underside of a cap, not leaves, twigs or a nest
- Open and close the damper fully. It should move without forcing and seal when closed
- Look at the firebox for cracked or loose brick, gaps in the joints, or rust and water marks on the floor
- Stand back from the house and look at the top of the chimney. Is there a cap? Is anything leaning, cracked or missing?
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and replace the batteries if they're due
- Clear anything that can burn from the hearth and the area in front of the fireplace
If any of those turn up something you're not sure about, it's worth a professional look before the first fire rather than after.
When it needs a sweep
The usual rule of thumb is that a chimney needs sweeping once there is about an eighth of an inch of soot or creosote on the flue walls, or sooner if there's any glazed, tar-like buildup. Most households here reach that every one to two years, even with light use, because short cool fires deposit more creosote than long hot ones.
A sweep before the season also gives you a camera look at the flue. Summer is when birds nest, and the past year's earthquakes, however small, are worth ruling out before you put heat into the chimney again.
No-burn days are part of winter here
From November 1 to the end of February, the South Coast Air Quality Management District can declare mandatory no-burn days for wood across most of the Los Angeles basin, usually when the air is stagnant. On those days, burning wood in a fireplace or wood stove isn't allowed.
Check the day's status before you light a wood fire. The AQMD publishes alerts on its website and by email or text if you sign up. Gas fireplaces are generally not affected, which is one reason so many homes here have switched to gas.
Burn the right wood
Dry, seasoned hardwood burns hotter and cleaner and leaves far less creosote than wet wood. Firewood should be split and stacked for at least six months, stored off the ground and away from the house, and kept covered on top so rain can't soak it.
Never burn treated or painted lumber, pallets, cardboard, wrapping paper or a Christmas tree. They burn fast and hot, throw sparks, and some release fumes you don't want in your home or your flue.
If your fireplace is gas
Gas fireplaces need their own pre-season check: the pilot lit and staying lit, the logs in their correct positions, the burner flame even, and a carbon monoxide reading with the fire running. A unit that hasn't run since last winter often needs nothing more than cleaning, but finding that out in October is better than on the first cold night.
Want a professional to take a look?
OakStone Chimney Solutions serves 15 cities across Los Angeles County, 24 hours a day. Estimates are free and there is no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ideally between spring and early fall, before the rush. October is still a good time. By the first cold week in December, every chimney company in the region is fully booked.
Not on mandatory no-burn days, which the South Coast AQMD can declare from November through February. Check the day's status before lighting a wood fire. Gas fireplaces are generally exempt.
If you can see roughly an eighth of an inch of soot on the flue walls, or any shiny, tar-like glaze, it's due. If you can't tell, a sweep with a camera inspection will show you.