Bulk baking soda...Where does someone find it for putting out fireplace fires for the night?

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mattjans

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Hi folks! This is the first time we've lived with fireplaces. We don't heat with them but I'd like to do 3-4+ fires a week in the fall and winter. I'm learning the logistics of fire timing and how to put it out when it's bed time. Read about sprinkling baking soda over coals after spreading them out. I've tried that, but I went through 3 "regular" boxes of baking soda over 2 fires.

So...

1) I'm probably using too much, but can't find any videos of someone doing it to see what I'm doing wrong.
2) Where does someone find bulk or BIG boxes/bags of baking soda so I'm not running through the little boxes.

Thanks!
 
First let the fire burn down the last hour & mount up the coals to burn up as much fuel as possible, spread out the last few embers.
Then cover the fire with old ash, from other fires, that you keep in a five gallon bucket, to cut off the oxygen to the fire.
Next mourning sift the coals out of the ash, letting the ash fall into the five gallon bucket, until next time.
Use the char as tinder with the new fire. It is free & you can repeat as many times as needed.
 
I guess I've never tried to put the fire out at night. In days of old, they would cover the fire with bark to hold it over night without it spreading. Obviously would want a fire screen and safe surround. Otherwise, I would just let it die down before going to bed and like Joel said can use ash to smother it.
 
mattjans said:
Hi folks! This is the first time we've lived with fireplaces. We don't heat with them but I'd like to do 3-4+ fires a week in the fall and winter. I'm learning the logistics of fire timing and how to put it out when it's bed time. Read about sprinkling baking soda over coals after spreading them out. I've tried that, but I went through 3 "regular" boxes of baking soda over 2 fires.

So...

1) I'm probably using too much, but can't find any videos of someone doing it to see what I'm doing wrong.
2) Where does someone find bulk or BIG boxes/bags of baking soda so I'm not running through the little boxes.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Why are you wanting to smother the fire? Are you afraid of a house fire if you were to try to let it die out by itself?
 
joel said:
First let the fire burn down the last hour & mount up the coals to burn up as much fuel as possible, spread out the last few embers.
Then cover the fire with old ash, from other fires, that you keep in a five gallon bucket, to cut off the oxygen to the fire.
Next mourning sift the coals out of the ash, letting the ash fall into the five gallon bucket, until next time.
Use the char as tinder with the new fire. It is free & you can repeat as many times as needed.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the steps!
 
Weedygarden said:
Why are you wanting to smother the fire? Are you afraid of a house fire if you were to try to let it die out by itself?
Click to expand...
I guess you hit the nail on the head @Weedygarden. That's the first thing you read/see on anything about fire safety. But I also know that once it's burned down there's not really a risk of spark. I don't worry about my outdoor fire pit that has a screen on it. And I don't remember us putting out my grandma's fireplace when we used it. Everyone's helpful feedback here is helpful. Probably don't need to worry. We have a screen that covers the entire front of the fire box.
 
I've heated with wood for me entire life, so yeah I wouldn't worry. Get a smoke alarm, get a CO alarm, and don't worry.

But to answer your question, you can get big bags at Costco.
 
They make fire screens, all shapes and sizes, some fold, some slide on a rail like a shower curtain. They also make mats to lay on the floor in front of the hearth to capture sparks.

A trick as old as mankind. Dry wood burns best in fire places but... folks here cut some green wood, big sticks, maybe 20-25% of the total firewood for the year.

In the evening let the fire burn down, push the coals to the back then lay a stick of green wood on top. It's too moist to burn alone without a big blaze to get it started.

This does 2 things. The green wood will absorb the heat from the coals further dampening them. Sitting overnight the green wood will dry out some making it easier to burn when you relight the fire the next day.

fire screen.jpg
 
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