As fall brings in cooler temperatures, many of us think about starting up our wood stoves and using our fireplaces again. Before you begin, it’s best to clean your wood stove and fireplace, and not just because some dust might have collected. Burning wood can cause a building of soot and creosote, which is the term for tar distilled from wood. This buildup not can limit the efficiency of your stove or fireplace, it also impairs the ventilation of smoke and other harmful gases like carbon...