Our Chimney Sweep Blog

Problems With Older Chimneys Continued In this two part series, we’re discussing typical problems that owners of old homes have with their chimneys. This Old Chimney Part 1 begins the conversation that we’re continuing this week. Chimney Smoking Issues If you see smoke on the face of the fireplace above the lintel (The thick metal Read more

Common Issues Found In the Chimneys of Old Houses If you own an old house or at least an older house, you will have different considerations than those who own newer homes. Newer homes are more likely to be built following modern codes and with materials that conform to modern published standards. This means newer Read more

What’s the difference between Fireplaces and Fireplace Inserts? There is a lot of confusion about these terms. After all, a “fireplace” ought to be any place you can have a fire, right? Yep, but there is a difference anyway and today I’ll lay it out for everyone. What is a fireplace? When folks talk about Read more

The gas log fireplace has a number of advantages over a traditional wood burning fireplace. While some of the reasons might appear to be obvious others might turn a few curious glances. Gas fireplaces do not have the same amount of realism and the impact of a wood burning fireplace, but with added features gas Read more

It is much easier and more attractive to use ventless gas fireplace logs today as safety and log designs have become much more realistic. During the coldest winter months, sitting next to a fire serves both aesthetic psychological warmth and real physical warmth. Electric and gas heaters offer no character and are hideous boxy structures Read more

Let’s cover the obvious and more well known insights about chimney and fireplace repair. Deteriorated or even missing mortar joints are most obvious of all. At the top of a chimney you can’t see the mortar well, so be sure anyone who works on your roof inspects this for you. A chimney sweep should look Read more

Your annual chimney maintenance is an important part of upkeep in your home. And this visit by a qualified technician should always include an exterior inspection. The condition of your chimney will determine the overall efficiency of your fireplace or wood stove and should be closely monitored in case repairs are needed. Annual Chimney Maintenance: Read more

Most people assume that if the heat is coming off of a wood stove and the smoke is going up the chimney, everything is fine. It may be, but very often it isn’t. There are two common problems, and a thousand little ones. Let’s only deal with the common problems. The biggest problem of them Read more

Annual chimney maintenance is crucial to the overall safety of your family and the efficiency and operation of your fireplace or wood stove. And the very best person to handle your annual chimney maintenance is a certified chimney sweep. Hiring a Chimney Sweep Is Easy… With These Tips Since this professional offers an incredibly valuable Read more

Chimneys are an important part of your home’s architecture. If you’re building a new home or renovating an existing house to install a wood burning fireplace this element needs some serious planning and design. That’s because the installation and maintenance of your chimney will make a big difference in the operation of your wood burning Read more