Winter is approaching, and if you have the luxury of owning an indoor fireplace it is time to start cleaning it up and making sure it is working safely and efficiently for those cold winter nights. A few things to do in order to get your home and chimney ready for winter are: Hire a professional chimney sweep to clean and inspect the outside and inside of your chimney and fireplace to be sure it is clear of any creosote build-up. Install or replace batteries in smoke alarms inside your home, also replace batteries in carbon monoxide detectors. And finally, be sure you have a working fire extinguisher close by in case of an emergency. More here