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This is a question asked by a lot of people who live in cold-weather cities. A damaged chimney needs to be repaired – no matter what time of year the issue happens. Yet repairing a chimney during a fierce blizzard seems counterintuitive. So what’s the answer? The answer is two-fold: Schedule all known chimney repairs Read more

When you think of a “chimney fire,” you’re probably thinking of a big, blazing event – the kind that brings neighbors running over and saying, “Hey, did you know your chimney’s on fire?”  But that’s just one kind of chimney fire. Smaller fires that nobody knows about happen more often than you might realize, and Read more

There’s a lot to love about wood-burning fireplaces – especially if yours is powerful and efficient and produces all the heat and ambience you need. The best way to get all this and more is with a new zero-clearance (ZC) fireplace or high-performing fireplace insert. ZC fireplaces are factory-made and ready to install in virtually Read more

Chimney flashing often is one of those “out of sight, out of mind” things. You never see it unless you climb up on your roof, it doesn’t make noise, and as long as it works as it should, you don’t even know it’s there. When it stops working as it should, that’s when some serious problems Read more

Older chimneys and those that have suffered damage often show signs of crumbling within the masonry. Bricks crack and dislodge, mortar joints decay, and leave gaps. When you catch these problems early, you can prevent potentially serious and unsafe operating conditions down the line. Even if your chimney has been damaged for some time and has Read more

When your chimney is working properly, it provides safe and efficient drafting of smoke and toxins from your fireplace. Keeping a chimney in great shape isn’t difficult. A couple annual maintenance tasks and repair work when needed will do the trick in most cases. If these services are neglected, you could end up facing a Read more

The primary job of a chimney sweep is to clean chimney flues. Many of these professionals also perform chimney inspections and repair work. When hiring someone for any of these tasks, it’s important to contract with a person or company with the proper skill, training, equipment and verifiable credentials. Here are some tips for hiring Read more

Most people don’t give a second thought to their chimneys – until the chimneys start breaking down and causing problems. No chimney will last forever, but there are ways to keep yours running safely and optimally for years. Here are some chimney maintenance tips you’ll want to know. Water + masonry = bad recipe Water Read more

People often move into a home that has a “fireplace,” and they just start using and enjoying it without any thought to what kind of fireplace it is. Yes, there are several different appliances/setups that can rightly be called a fireplace. The reason to know what kind you have is so you’ll know what is Read more

A chimney technician, after inspecting your chimney in winter, may have already let you know that chimney repairs are needed. Or perhaps you’ve just moved into a new home with a fireplace. These are among the many scenarios in which scheduling a professional chimney inspection, chimney maintenance, or chimney repairs should be considered a top Read more