March in Northern New Jersey is a transition month. The coldest nights are behind us, the days are stretching longer, and most Bergen County homeowners are using their fireplaces for the last time until fall. It’s tempting to simply close the glass doors and forget about the hearth until November — but taking a few hours for proper end-of-season maintenance now can save you significant time, money, and headache when the weather turns cold again.
At KJB Fireplaces, we’ve seen the consequences of skipped spring maintenance: corroded components, pest infestations discovered in October, and gas system issues that develop slowly over summer and reveal themselves on the first cold night of the year. Here’s what we recommend every spring for homeowners throughout Bergen, Passaic, Morris, and Essex counties.
1. Give Your Fireplace a Thorough Cleaning
Gas Fireplaces
Even though gas fireplaces burn clean, they still accumulate dust, spider webs, and light debris over the heating season. Before you put the fireplace to rest for spring:
- Remove and gently clean the artificial log set or fire glass with a soft cloth
- Clean the glass doors with a fireplace-specific glass cleaner
- Vacuum or wipe down the interior firebox walls
- Clean the burner ports with a soft brush — clogged ports affect flame quality
- Wipe down the exterior: surround, mantel, and hearth
Wood-Burning Fireplaces
End-of-season cleaning is even more important for wood-burning units. A professional chimney sweep should remove all ash, soot, and creosote before the fireplace is closed for the season — not just before you start using it again. Creosote left to sit over warm, humid summer months can harden and become significantly more difficult to remove. It also attracts insects and pests.
KJB Recommendation: Schedule your chimney sweep in March or April, not October. Spring appointments are easier to get, and starting fall with a clean chimney means you’re ready to go the moment temperatures drop.
2. Inspect for Any Damage From the Heating Season
After a winter of regular use, it’s worth doing a careful visual inspection of your fireplace and the surrounding area. Look for:
- Cracks in the firebox interior or refractory panels
- Discoloration or soot streaks on the glass that won’t clean off (may indicate draft issues)
- Any unusual wear on the surround or mantel from heat exposure
- Settling or movement of the hearth pad
- For gas units: check that all connections appear secure and undamaged
If anything looks unusual, call a professional before the season ends — summer is the ideal time for repairs, when lead times are shorter and contractors are more available.
3. Close and Protect the Damper
For wood-burning fireplaces with a traditional throat damper: close it fully at the end of the season. An open damper in spring and summer allows warm, humid air to flow into your chimney, which can accelerate rust, mold growth, and damper deterioration. It also provides an inviting entry point for birds, squirrels, and other wildlife looking for a nesting spot.
If your damper is old, warped, or doesn’t seal fully, spring is the right time to replace it. Top-mounted dampers — which seal at the chimney crown rather than inside the flue — offer superior protection and are an upgrade we recommend to many Bergen County homeowners.
4. Schedule a Professional Inspection (If You Haven’t Already)
Many homeowners think of fireplace inspections as a fall task, but spring is actually the better time for a comprehensive assessment. After a full season of use, a technician can identify exactly what issues developed during winter — and address them during the long off-season window when parts are readily available and scheduling is flexible.
A spring inspection is especially important if your fireplace exhibited any of the following during the past winter:
- Difficulty igniting (gas) or maintaining a fire (wood)
- Unusual odors during or after burning
- Excessive smoke in the room
- Flames that seemed unusually low or inconsistent
- Any gas smell, even faint
5. Think About Next Season Now
March is also the ideal moment to think about upgrades or changes you want to make before next winter — when everyone else is scrambling to get on a contractor’s schedule. If you’ve been thinking about a wood-to-gas conversion, fireplace refacing, a new mantel, or an outdoor fireplace installation, beginning that conversation in spring gives you the longest runway before November.
Our showroom at 875 Route 17 South in Ramsey is open year-round, and our consultation schedule is significantly more flexible in the spring and summer months. Many of our most successful projects are planned in March and April, and completed by September — giving homeowners a fresh, beautiful fireplace ready for the first cold night of fall.
A Word on Summer and Your Fireplace
Finally, don’t completely ignore your gas fireplace in summer. Running a gas fireplace for 15 to 20 minutes once a month during the off-season keeps the components lubricated, prevents moisture buildup in the gas lines, and ensures that when November arrives, you’re turning on a system that has stayed active — not one that’s been dormant for seven months.
KJB Fireplaces: Year-Round Hearth Experts
Whether you need a spring inspection, an end-of-season cleaning, or you’re ready to start planning your next fireplace project, the KJB Fireplaces team is here to help. We serve homeowners throughout Bergen, Passaic, Morris, and Essex counties from our Ramsey showroom — and we’re happy to come to you for a free in-home consultation.
Ready to get started? Request a free quote at kjbfireplaces.com or call (201) 760-9585 — KJB Fireplaces, 875 Route 17 South, Ramsey, NJ 07446.