Our Chimney Sweep Blog

A lot of times when fires in a fireplace are less than spectacular – when they’re too smoky, don’t last very long, produce excess soot and creosote – it’s not the fault of the fireplace. Often, the only problem is the wood that’s being used. Not all firewood logs are the same. They look pretty Read more

Soot isn’t all that builds up in the chimney from your woodburning fireplace. Creosote is a chemical compound that’s created when condensation interacts with smoke. It also builds up in the chimney. It can become a major hazard if it hardens into glazed creosote. What is Glazed Creosote? When wood burns, the smoke produced contains Read more

To look at a chimney, it doesn’t appear that very much is going on. It’s just a vent system that allows smoke to leave the firebox and be sent into the outside air. This is a good description of how chimneys work. But for them to work efficiently and safely, many components must conspire and Read more

Common Issues When Connecting New Gas Appliances to Older Chimneys Home-heating appliances like means a chimney or vent pipe. For drafting to work right, the problems are bound to occur. This is all very relevant when connecting gas heating appliances such as stoves and fireplaces to older, existing chimneys. Just because a chimney is a “vent system” doesn’t mean it’s ideal for Read more

Living in a home with a fireplace is a big perk especially here on the east coast. On dark winter evenings, it’s a pleasure to relax next to a crackling fire in the hearth. Unfortunately, your fireplace’s chimney could become a costly expense if it isn’t maintained. Investing a little now in preventative chimney maintenance Read more

Chimney fires can be deadly. Even though chimneys are designed to withstand high temperatures and stop a fire from spreading to your home, they can fail if creosote in your chimney catches fire. Creosote is a highly flammable chemical compound that builds up in your chimney. A stray spark or high temperature in your chimney Read more

Fireplace and chimney cleaning are very important in keeping your appliance looking good, running safely and operating at peak efficiency. You can do some cleaning tasks yourself; others are best handled by a professional chimney sweep. Let’s take a look. Do it yourself Glass fireplace doors: If your fireplace doors are smudgy and unsightly, you Read more

One of the best ways to prolong the life of your chimney is to have it professionally sealed with a high-quality water repellent. As chimneys age, small cracks can begin to appear in the bricks and mortar joints, which will allow water to get in. Once inside, water begins to damage the chimney structure, leading Read more

Thank you, Selective Hauling for this article on our services.  Selective Hauling has been a valued partner for 10 years now and we appreciate their punctuality and efficiency.  Our partnership has been a natural success, as both of our companies serve our clients with superior service. Here is a look at the article that Selective Read more

Did you know that dryer vents can cause house fires? At High’s Chimney, it is important to our company to educate our clients to help protect their property through our repair and preventative services. When it comes to your dryer, it is vital to properly clean the vents to prevent future property damage. On average, Read more