The Fourth of July is coming soon! I can't wait for all those awesome fireworks as we remember what it took to obtain our sacred freedom. If you want to display some patriotism indoors fireworks may be a little bit messy. How about a fireback instead? The American Flag Fireback from Adams Company is a perfect addition to your fireplace that will add a little patriotic flare. Order one today and proudly display it in your fireplace this July.

Wouldn't it be fun this summer to create a new family tradition? Fourth of July is coming very soon and I was thinking how fun it would be to start a family tradition of roasting marshmallows around a fireplace. We could remind our children how important it is to be grateful for our great country and how we are blessed to have the freedoms we enjoy. If the weather permits, you could even go outside and have some 'smores (you know those yummy graham cracker, chocolate, melted marshmallow concoctions?) around a firepit or outdoor fireplace. Happy Fourth of July (a little early) and God Bless our Nation!

Vacuum up all your soot and ashes with this professional ash vacuum. It won’t leave any dust behind because it has a double filtration system, which can capture microscopically fine dust and particles as fine as 5 microns!

This ash vacuum is build to last with a dent and rust proof body and an internal system engineered to take constant daily abuse.
The August West TurboSweeper will save you the time it takes to clean out your fireplace with a traditional tool set, as well as the time it takes to dust your entire house afterward!

Coal buckets, ash containers, coal hods, call them what you will, but they are very useful fireplace tools. They can be used for many things other than their namesake, though. Here is a list of ten creative ideas about how to use your ash bucket.

1. Hot Ash Container – Here is the most obvious way to use your ash bucket. When you are cleaning out your fireplace and you still have some hot ash, you can place it in one of these containers to let it cool down before disposing of it into your garbage. Some designs have a double reinforced bottom so that you can leave the container on your hearth without worrying about heat damage. Others designs are not reinforced, so it is recommended that you place the ash container on a heat resistant surface or outside until the ashes are cool.

2. Pellet or Coal Container – This is another fairly common way to use your ash container. When used this way, it is easy to see why these buckets are sometimes called coal hods. Many are made with an extra handle on the side of the container in order to make pouring heavy coal or pellets easier. Coal hods are also commonly designed to be taller and narrower to ease in the pouring of coal into the hot fire.

3. Decorative Accent – While not in use, ash containers don't have to be hidden away into a closet. They are often given a special finish, like pebbled copper or antique bronze so that they can be proudly displayed on your hearth along with your other fireplace accessories.

4. Flower Pot – If you don't particularly like the look of an empty coal bucket sitting on your hearth, consider using either real flowers or silk flowers to create a nice bouquet. This is a simple and easy way to change the look of your fireplace throughout the seasons. In the fall you could use orange-colored flowers or fall leaves. In the winter, a small pine tree or some pine cones would be very festive sitting inside an ash container. A fresh bouquet of lilies or tulips would be perfect for spring. In summer, consider roses or daisies. Another great idea would be to decorate for the holidays. Try a bunch of Irish shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day; a few carefully chosen red, white and blue flowers and a flag for the Fourth of July; a dozen red roses for St. Valentine' Day. The possibilities are really endless and totally up to your imagination. This is an area where you can really let your creative juices flow!

5. Front or Back Porch Display – Using some of the decorative ideas above, in number four, you can take your ash container outside to add a little color to your porch. In fact, since it will be outdoors, you could even use real potted plants to accent the entrance to your home. The ash containers make great decorative pots for a country-style home.

6. Kindling Holder – Beyond using your ash container for holding coal or pellets, it can also be used to hold kindling. Gather all your small pieces of firewood and sticks and place them in your ash bucket so they will be in a handy spot whenever you want to quickly start a fire.

7. Newspaper Holder – Don't know what to do with all your used newspapers (other than recycle them, of course)? Roll them up and place them in your ash container so they are ready to use when you need to start a warm fire.

8. Fireplace Tool Holder – If you don't have the luxury of owning a full fireplace tool set, then consider using your ash bucket as a convenient place to store your fireplace tools. Stand them up inside the ash bucket and lean them against your fireplace as a nice decorative touch.

9. Decorative Wastebasket – Now we are really going to think outside the firebox! If you have a country-style home, a coal bucket would make a lovely decorative wastebasket in any room. Remember those nice handles on the side? They would make dumping garbage out easier, too!

10. Decorative Water Pail – Who says you have to hold dry items in your ash container? You could use it as a watering pail. Again, those lovely handles on the side would make pouring water on your precious indoor or outdoor plants a breeze.

Now that you have some ideas to go on, try thinking of some other ways to use your Fireplace Coal Buckets. Remember, you don't have to use them just for fireplace related tasks. Above all, have fun being creative while decorating your house into your home.

If you are having a party and need a little artistic flare and some unique lighting, try the UniFlame Antique Copper Gel Fire Bowl. It has a “moat” around the flame which you can fill with any fire-resistant material you wish, such as river rocks (as shown) or glass beads, or even seashells.

This gel fire bowl uses one 13 oz. can of alcohol fuel gel, which is a clean burning, environmentally friendly fuel. Each can will burn up to 3 hours and is easy to extinguish by simply placing the provided lid on top of the flame. If you need your fire bowl lit for longer, easily lift the empty gel fuel can out and replace with a new one.

Give your patio or table-top a little finesse with a flickering flame!

Add flare to your table or patio with this Gel Fire Bowl!

Hang this beautiful fireplace anywhere in your home!

Don’t spend hour after hour trying to get all those tiny particles of ash out of your fireplace with a traditional fireplace tool set. Instead, try a time-saving ash vacuum.

Ash vacuums not only save you time when cleaning out the firebox, they also filter out the ash so you don’t have to dust as often.

Make cleaning out your fireplace a breeze (and kind of fun)by using an ash vacuum today!

The Oakland Gel Fireplace by Sunjel adds warmth to any home or office.This beautiful portable fireplace can easily be moved from room to room because it does not require a chimney or vent. Simply place where you want a little romantic ambiance and heat.

Its unique compact design makes it fit into just about any area. When the perfect spot has been chosen, quickly start the fire with Sunjel Alcohol Fuel Gel. The crackle and pop of the gel fire and the faux firewood will create the look, feel and sound of a real fireplace without the mess of smoke, soot and ash.

Choose your favorite finish and your favorite log style to match your home decor and make your home or office more inviting today!

Cleaning your fireplace is never going to be a fun thing to do. But it is necessary. So why not make it a little easier by using the right tools? A good quality fireplace tool set can make scooping and sweeping up those ashes easier. A nice ash bucket (also called a coal hod) is a great place to store your ashes until you are ready to dump them. Some of these useful tools have an insulated bottom so that you can put warm ashes in them without worries of damaging your flooring. Many ash buckets come with a second handle on the side to help with pouring.

As with most hearth products, fireplace tool sets and coal hods can be left on the hearth because of their decorative quality. There is no need to hide them or store them in a closet. Simply return them to the hearth and proudly display these essential fireplace accessories.

Yesterday, I briefly touched on the subject of cleaning your fireplace to prepare it for the warmer months when it will not be in use. In the coming few days I will go into more depth on how exactly to do this safely and properly.

In this blog, we will talk about the chimney. This is one of the most important things you can do to keep your fireplace clean and safe. Make sure there is no creosote build-up in your chimney. If the creosote builds up, there is a chance that it will catch fire and since creosote burns at an extremely high temperature, it is a very dangerous and fast burning fire.

There are several ways to clean out a chimney:

1. Purchase a chimney brush that matches your size and type of chimney. These brushes are specially designed for cleaning out chimneys, but you need to make sure you have the right size for your specific chimney.  Also, if you have a brick and mortar chimney you should use a wire brush, whereas if your chimney is prefab, you should use a brush with poly bristles. The shape of your chimney is also important in considering which brush to buy. Some chimneys are square or rectangle, while others are round. Once you have determined which brush is best for your chimney, you need to decide whether you are more comfortable climbing up on top of your roof to clean or sitting next to your fireplace.

2. If you decide that sitting next to the fireplace is the way to go, you will need to make sure you have enough chimney rods to span the entire length of your chimney. As you are sitting next to your fireplace, push your brush up through the flue. Continue to add more brush rods as needed until the brush is at the top of the chimney. As you pull the brush back down, you will need to make a back and forth motion to really scrub the creosote off the walls of the chimney. Be sure to shield your eyes, as some of this loosened creosote may fall into the firebox.

3. If you decide that cleaning your chimney from the top will work better for you, you will need to have a long piece of rope and some type of weight attached to the bottom of the chimney brush. Again, as you work the brush through the chimney, use a back and forth motion to make sure you are scraping off as much creosote as possible. If you do choose to use this method, make sure that you do it with safety precautions in place. Falling off the roof is never a good idea!

4. Chimney sweeps are another option for cleaning your chimney. This option is recommended as these professionals can make sure that all aspects of your chimney are up to safety standards. Look for a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep in your area to ensure that your fireplace is properly card for.

TheMasterFirePlace.com is pleased to announce that we are currently working on expanding our fireplace screens product line. We already carry many of UniFlame's various fireplace screens, including single panel, 3 panel up to 5 panel, as well as some innovative screens that include fireplace tool sets and doors. These combination screens are great for those of us that have limited space around our fireplace to accommodate all the necessary tools. The doors allow for easy access to the fire without having to remove the fireplace screen.
Coming soon, we will also be carrying some Dagan and Enclume fireplace accessories, as well as custom fireplace replacement screens and child guard gates for around the fireplace. The custom screens can be used to replace the mesh screen in an existing free-standing fireplace screen. It comes in 1" increments at 48" wide. You can order the amount of inches you need for the specific height of your screen. The child guard gates are perfect for keeping little ones from getting to close to a hot fire. They are also great for protecting your toddler from the sharp surfaces of the hearth. They come in various sizes with several different sizes of extensions to fit your fireplace perfectly.
We are also working on expanding our line of replacement hanging curtain fireplace screens. They will come in black or brass and a size range of 48" to 60" wide and 16" to 34" inches high. We will also carry the replacement pulls for these screens in black or brass.
Stay tuned to see what else we will be adding. We are constantly adding new products to serve our customers with a wide variety of products.