1. Clean your chimney

It's important to start with a clean fireplace, which means ensuring the chimney isn't blocked by fallen debris. You may need to call a professional chimney sweep to inspect your chimney and clear any debris such as leaves, twigs or even an abandoned bird nest. If your chimney isn't clean, it could send clouds of smoke billowing into your home.

2. Open the damper

Open the damper all the way to allow oxygen to get to the fire. If you leave it closed, there's a good chance thick smoke will fill your house in a matter of minutes. Leave it open and let your fire breathe.

3. Warm the flue

The flue is usually cold when you first start to build your fire. This means that cold air will sink down the chimney and cause smoke to roar through the house, rather than rise up the chimney like it's supposed to. This can be avoided by warming the flue up with a roll of newspaper. Hold it up the damper until you feel that the cold air has reversed.

4. Create an ash bed

An ash bed helps to insulate the fireplace and establishes a hotter fire. You can build it using ashes or by crumbling sheets of newspaper or other tinder and place it in your fireplace.

5. Adding fuel to the flames

Place a few logs or pieces of coal on top of the ash bed to help kindle the fire. Arrange them loosely to allow air to circulate and light the tinder with a long match. Once it starts going, you can add more fuel to the flames. Be careful not to overfeed the fire, which can put it out or cause it to blaze rampantly.

Now that you know how to set a fire in a fireplace, you can stock up on coal, heat logs and other fuels from www.coalhut.com. Shop for fuel for your open fire online today or get in touch with us for more information.