By Johnathan Mason, Ace Chimney Service.
When the power goes out in January and the furnace stops, the fireplace becomes the thing everyone turns to. That is the worst possible moment to discover it has not been swept in four years. A little preparation in autumn makes the difference between a workable backup and an emergency call. Worth thinking through in Lakewood, where winter storms take lines down most years.
Do the maintenance before you need it
A chimney that has not been swept is not a reliable backup heat source, and an outage is the wrong time to find out there is a nest in the flue or a damper that will not open. Have the sweep and inspection done in autumn, while scheduling is easy, so that when the lights go out you know the system works.
Have wood that will actually burn
Seasoned firewood, split, and stored where you can reach it without wading through snow. Wet wood in an outage gives you smoke, frustration, and very little heat. Keep enough dry kindling and a supply of matches or a lighter somewhere you can find in the dark, along with flashlights — not candles near a hearth.
What an open fireplace realistically gives you
Be honest with yourself about the output. An open masonry fireplace radiates heat into the room in front of it and sends a great deal up the flue, and it draws room air to burn, which pulls cold air in elsewhere in the house. It will keep one room comfortable. It will not heat a house. Close doors to the rest of the home, gather in that room, and treat it as a warm space rather than a heating system. A stove or insert is a genuinely different proposition and will hold a floor.
The things people get wrong in an outage
Never burn charcoal indoors. Never run a generator in a garage, a porch, or anywhere near a window — outdoors, well away from the house, always. Never use a gas range or oven for heat. Do not overload the fireplace trying to get more out of it; an oversized fire is how chimney fires start. And never leave a fire burning unattended overnight, whatever the temperature.
Alarms and gas appliances
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms now, and keep spare batteries. Carbon monoxide risk goes up in an outage precisely because people improvise. If you have a gas fireplace with a standing pilot and millivolt controls, it will usually still light without house power — a genuinely useful feature covered on our gas fireplace service page. Units with electronic ignition generally will not.
Ace Chimney Service: 29 years, insured and bonded, price up front, seven days a week 7 AM to 7 PM across Crystal Lake and McHenry County. Call (815) 320-0883 or book online.
Frequently asked questions
Can a fireplace heat my house in an outage?
An open fireplace will keep one room comfortable, not a whole house. A stove or insert does considerably more.
Will my gas fireplace work without power?
Standing-pilot millivolt units usually will, because the pilot generates the voltage the valve needs. Electronic ignition models generally will not.
Is it safe to burn all night for warmth?
No. Do not leave a fire unattended, and do not damp one down to smoulder — that is what builds creosote fastest.
Can I burn charcoal indoors if I have no wood?
Never. Charcoal produces carbon monoxide at levels that are dangerous indoors.
Where should a generator go?
Outdoors only, well away from the house and clear of windows, doors, and vents. Never in a garage, even with the door open.
How much firewood should I keep on hand?
Enough dry, seasoned wood to run a room for several days, stored where you can reach it in snow.
Should I close doors to other rooms?
Yes. Concentrating people and heat in the fireplace room is far more effective than trying to warm the whole house.
What if the chimney has not been swept recently?
Book it now rather than relying on it later. An outage is the wrong time to discover a blockage.
Published September 29, 2026