Have another bucket with clean water on the side. It is recommended you regularly dust over the fireplace or insert with either the soft brush of the vacuum cleaner or a soft lint free dry cloth and every four weeks or so polish the surface of the fireplace using a spray can oil lubricant such as WD 40, 3 in 1 or the manufactures recommended metal polish. Rinse with a cloth dipped in clear, warm water. And Brasso was entirely the wrong thing to use for polished brass. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. http://www.woodheat.org/fireplace-inserts.html, https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/06/fire-not-in-the-hole/, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/multimedia/back-pain/sls-20076866, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SabN2LNkrHA, https://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/valves/how-to-locate-your-gas-shutoff-valve-and-water-shutoff-valve/view-all/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5dgg-kvOo8, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Regular Cleaning Maintenance It is recommended you lightly dust over the fireplace with a lint free cloth to remove all dust before any maintenance. This is going to clean up the area and remove the damaged metal. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. I applied 3 coats over the course of three days. Remove a Cast Iron Insert From a Fireplace, Find Shoe Inserts for Shoes That Are Too Big. Embarrassed that you don't know much about credit? Push or pull the insert so that it slides across the floor as you remove it from your house. Russell Wood is a writer and photographer who attended Arizona State University. Steps. This article has been viewed 68,798 times. I found that using the foam brush was the easiest to apply. Try to keep the insert upright so it doesn’t spill coal and ash everywhere. Rub the red scuff pad over the rusted area, this will remove most of the loose rust off of the fireplace insert. 2 soft cloths. Since the gas should already be turned off, there's no need to cap the gas line until after you have removed the insert. You may need to repeat the process with several fresh rags to remove all of the gunk. A bucket of soapy cleaner makes cleaning your fireplace quick and easy. If you have any questions at all, call a licensed professional. You should check the temperature before trying to touch it. Inserts … To ensure it protects the floor, it should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. How to clean a polished brass fireplace … Maintain the natural curve of your back and try not to twist your torso to avoid injuring your back. Spray the cleaner on a dry cloth and rub it in a circular motion on the glass. Cleaning the front glass panel on a heatilator gas fireplace. Combine 1 tsp. Hi guys! A fireplace insert is made to sit inside of a traditional masonry fireplace in order to help it heat more efficiently. Get your fireplace and cleaning products from castfireplaces.co.uk. #6 Comfort Flame B36L-M Insert. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Can you burn Duraflame logs in a gas fireplace? Dip half a lemon into ordinary table salt and rub directly onto the area that needs cleaning. Pry the insert free with a crowbar, then slide it onto a piece of carpet so you can easily move it across your floor. In this case, call the gas company and have them turn off your gas for you. – Inside the fireplace insert is always some sort of baffle or damper system. Buy from Amazon . There's no denying that a crackling fire is a domestic delight, but they can be a messy business and neglecting a dirty fireplace can lead to inefficiency, smoke stains and a build-up of creosote (an oily wood-tar by-product found on chimney walls) which can become a safety hazard. Use the solution and a rag to clean the fireplace insert. Get some flexable rods, tie rope on the end loop anyway just incase you come unthreaded in the flue, and scrub it up and down. Additionally, since my glass doors were easily removable (they just screwed off,) I took them off, and covered the inside of the fireplace with plastic as well. Spray it on and allow it to work for several minutes before using a soft cloth to remove the debris and film. Add 1 teaspoon ammonia. Soot and debris can swiftly accumulate on brass fireplace screens. Most fireplace inserts are simply “pushed” (shoved is more like it) into the opening of a fireplace (we refer to these as “slammed in” or “slammers”) and they are very dangerous! Most fire screens are black painted metal, but if your screen is brass-plate, clean it as you would other brass objects. % of people told us that this article helped them. Never use water to clean metal fireplaces as it will encourage rust. – The glass in the door is cleaned and the surround is wiped down. Best Wood Burning Fireplace Inserts, Reviews ... it has a combustion air wash system that helps to keep combustion consistent and helps to keep the glass doors on it clean. The “Backstory” In the late 70’s and early 80’s, we were going through yet another “energy crisis”, where oil and gas prices were sky high. If the glass has a lot of dirt and grime on it, spray the cleaner directly on the glass and rub it off using newspaper. There is usually a valve located just before the meter that must be opened and closed with a wrench. – The insert is fully cleaned, brushed and vacuumed on the inside. Clean the fireplace insert using the lint-free towels and the cleaner/degreaser. Use screws to attach a piece of plywood or sheet metal cut to the size of your vent to seal it. It depends on how extensive the removal project is. However, you may only need to have a partial removal in order to have the fireplace insert taken out. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. To clean painted fire screens, mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 gallon warm water. Research source If your fireplace sees a lot of usage, you may have noticed your formerly shiny brass fireplace insert has gotten dirtier and dingier with each fire that you light. Prevent Rust From Bleeding Through Paint→, Change the Flint in a Dunhill Rollagas Lighter→. You can find a fireplace glass cleaner at your local hardware store. These are removed both to clean the baffles as well as the inside top of the insert. [1] How much does it cost to remove a fireplace insert? dishwashing detergent with 1/2 gallon warm water in a bucket. wikiHow's. salt. Step 3 Use the included brush to cover the surround with a new layer of black grate polish. If you're planning on discarding the insert, you can also remove pieces by breaking them off with your hammer or prying them apart with your crowbar. It can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,500 for the project to be completed by a professional. Whether you want to update the look of your fireplace or you need to get it up to code before you sell your house, chances are you’ll need to remove your fireplace insert. Dip a cloth into the solution, and wipe down both sides of the screen. If rust has developed, remove it with a stiff wire brush or fine wire wool. Finish the job by screwing a brass cap onto your gas line so you can turn your gas back on and it won't leak out of the line. You can even use your gas to help the fire get started for a few minutes, then turn it off and let the wood burn on its own, adding more wood to the fire as needed to keep it going. Cleaning it, however, is easy and quick. Do you have a suggestion for cleaning the brass trim around a glass door on a fireplace insert? I grabbed a magnet and… it stuck. You may have to use a crowbar to loosen the insert enough to be able to move it by hand. Use extreme caution when you're working with gas. Although this is a job best done by professionals, especially if you have a gas insert, it is possible to remove your fireplace insert yourself. – All ashes, creosote, and debris are removed from the insert and taken with us. Keep in mind that whatever you use may get dirty or torn. When you can access the gas line, remove it as well. Let the metal dry completely if it was dampened. If the magnet doesn’t stick… well then it’s brass. I have then used a greasy cloth and wipped the entire metal fireplace. Jul 7, 2016 - How to Restore a Rusted Metal Fireplace Insert. The insert may be considerably larger than it appears at first, since it is hidden behind this framing. Fireplaces are nice to have on a cold winter day, and having a fireplace insert keeps the logs in place and looks great too. Clean the fireplace insert using the lint-free towels and the cleaner/degreaser. Wash the surface of your brass fireplace door frame with the soapy solution to remove any greasy residue from the smoke and soot. This is known as a street-side valve, and should only be operated by someone from the gas company. By using our site, you agree to our. After this you will need to use your lint free cloth or a small brush and some iron past. Any way, ACS is a good product. Use fireplace glass cleaner to clean the glass covering of your gas fireplace. Allow the insert to dry for at least 24 hours before placing the insert back in the fireplace. To remove a wood-burning or electrical fireplace insert, first remove all of the trim from around the fireplace, including any brick, rockwork, or drywall that is covering the insert. If you have a metal screen or mesh curtain, use the vacuum upholstery brush to clean both sides to remove dust. Nylon has to work hard to clean hard creosote, thats why its tough to get into that liner. Start by shutting off the gas to your home at the main valve so there's no chance of a leak. With this start to rub the polish into the metal using a firm hand covering a good sized area. But if your fireplace insert is rusting, the aesthetics come into question. In the future, make an effort to make sure your fireplace stays clean. Take a crowbar and remove the trim around the insert. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Use a store-bought cleaner for an easy solution. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Lemon juice and salt will clean most brass. It's a niche job but it's worth knowing how to clean a fireplace. 5 tbsp. Then spray the BBQ cleaner and leave on it for 1-2 hours. To be safe, let the stove or fireplace cool for at least 6 to 8 hours before trying to clean it. Rust that's on the outer edges of the insert is easy to remove to help you restore the look of the insert. In this video, I'll show you the process of creating a Fireplace. If you can, wait a couple of days. References. If your fireplace is on a second floor, you’ll probably need the help of professional movers to get the insert down the stairs. Gas fireplaces are safe to burn wood in like a standard fireplace, so a Duraflame log is perfectly fine to burn in your gas fireplace. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Method 1 of 4: Selecting Your Materials 1. Absolutely. It’ll be some kind of metal like steel, with a brass coating. The regular application of the spray can oil based lubricant or manufactures recommended metal polish …