Any fireplace experts here?

[hereonceagain]

I just got our fireplace professionally sweeped, as we've never used it. I put a 4 hour dura flame log in 6 hours ago and the log had no end in sight. I don't want to sleep while there's a fire and I read you shouldn't put those logs out. So I moved the log with a rake thing and whoa!!!! The log is now all in crumbles and has a HUGE fire, so I assume it will burn much faster now. My question is, is it ok to break the logs apart like that?? I'm curious for the future. I'm loving the bigger fire.

[hereonceagain]

I think I found my answer:


No. Unlike firewood, fire logs are designed to burn in a controlled manner and do not require tending. Tongs or pokers can cause a fire log to break apart and expose more surface area to the air - increasing the burn rate and resulting in a shorter fire. When placed on a proper fireplace grate and left undisturbed, a 6lb duraflame fire log will burn up to 4 hours.

[buttercup]

I always break mine apart, but I tend to mess with our fires a lot. It does make it burn out faster. If it's close to bedtime I will break it all apart so it burns out. I'd really love a gas insert though!

[bleubook]

I thought those duraflame things were supposed to be terrible?

[hereonceagain]

Jan 6, 2013 11:44:00 GMT -5 bleubook said:

I thought those duraflame things were supposed to be terrible?

Really?? Why?

[MadamePresident]

We just use normal firewood. On occasion when the fire is still going we will close the glass doors on our fireplace. We have never had a problem.

[hippygirl]

I stopped using duraflame and make ours with pinecones/wax (on Pinterest). MM!

[ohbirdie]

They can lead to a build up in your chimney if you use them often. We use a small starter brick to start our fire and then use wood from then on. If you solely rely on Duralog or the wax bricks, you need to get your chimney cleaned more often to remove the build up.

That is what our chimney sweep told us the last time he was out.

[hereonceagain]

Jan 6, 2013 15:05:40 GMT -5 ohbirdie said:

They can lead to a build up in your chimney if you use them often. We use a small starter brick to start our fire and then use wood from then on. If you solely rely on Duralog or the wax bricks, you need to get your chimney cleaned more often to remove the build up.

That is what our chimney sweep told us the last time he was out.

Hmm, our chimney guy told us the opposite. He said the dura flame logs leave a wax like substance that he just scrapes off easily. He said real logs leave a different type of residue that's harder for him to get off, and I read the real wood is more likely to cause carbon monoxide poisoning, if not used properly.

[ohbirdie]

Jan 6, 2013 15:53:08 GMT -5 hereonceagain said:

Jan 6, 2013 15:05:40 GMT -5 ohbirdie said:

They can lead to a build up in your chimney if you use them often. We use a small starter brick to start our fire and then use wood from then on. If you solely rely on Duralog or the wax bricks, you need to get your chimney cleaned more often to remove the build up.

That is what our chimney sweep told us the last time he was out.

Hmm, our chimney guy told us the opposite. He said the dura flame logs leave a wax like substance that he just scrapes off easily. He said real logs leave a different type of residue that's harder for him to get off, and I read the real wood is more likely to cause carbon monoxide poisoning, if not used properly.

Now I really don't know. I guess there are pros and cons to each.