How should I shut down and protect a fireplace in a second home that sits vacant for months?
For a vacant second home, shut the fireplace down safely and seal it against critters and weather: turn off a gas pilot (or leave it lit only for the pilot's drying warmth), close and if needed block the damper, cap or screen the chimney against animals, and have it inspected before the next use. Unused-then-reused is when problems surface.
Gas units in a closed-up house
For a gas fireplace you're leaving for the season, turning the pilot off saves fuel and is fine for the summer; just relight, or have us relight, before the next stay. Some owners leave a standing pilot lit because its small heat keeps the firebox dry and discourages spiders — a real WNC issue, since spiders clog pilot orifices over the off-season.
Either choice is valid, though a modern electronic-ignition unit doesn't give you the drying-pilot option. Take the remote and receiver batteries out if the home will sit unheated for months, so they don't leak.
Wood fireplaces and the chimney
For a wood fireplace or stove, clean out all ash before you go — ash holds moisture and rusts grates and dampers in a cold, humid cabin. Close the damper to keep conditioned air and weather out, and make sure the chimney is capped and screened.
The number-one problem in vacant WNC cabins is wildlife: birds, squirrels, and even raccoons nest in an unused flue, and a proper cap or a chimney balloon keeps them out. Just remember to remove any internal plug before the first fire.
Before the next fire
Whatever the fuel, don't walk in after six months and light it cold. Vacant-then-used is exactly when a nest, a rusted damper, or a critter-clogged vent turns into a smoke-back or a CO problem.
A quick pre-season inspection — clear the vent, check the pilot and connections, confirm the damper and cap — makes the first fire uneventful. A lot of our second-home clients up around Cashiers and Lake Toxaway have us open the house each fall. Call (828) 545-0525.
How we can help
Related questions
- Does a fireplace I never use still need to be inspected?
- Should I turn off the pilot light on my gas fireplace in the summer?
- How do I keep birds and animals from nesting in my fireplace vent or chimney?
- How do I keep dust and debris out of my fireplace during the months it is not used?
- Should I use a chimney balloon or flue plug to seal the chimney during the off-season?
- How often should a gas fireplace be serviced?
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