While you can do some basic chimney inspection work on your own, it pays to have a certified chimney inspector look over your system on an annual basis. Qualified inspectors not only can spot things you may not be able to, but they also can recommend the right kind of repair work that will make Read more…

Fireplaces and chimneys, like many items and appliances in your home, need periodic maintenance. Left unattended year after year, a chimney can become dangerous to use and to live around. Here are some of the reasons fireplace safety and chimney cleaning are so important. Flammable creosote Wood-burning fireplaces create a substance called creosote, which clings Read more…

Have you grown bored with the architecture of your fireplace, or has it become seriously outdated? You don’t have to break the bank or have special skills to start enjoying a new setting for cozy fires in winter. Fireplace makeovers can be remarkably simple and inexpensive, and just a few of many examples follow. Redo Read more…

In Wisconsin, we get some cold nights before actual winter arrives. If you enjoy using your fireplace to take the chill off autumn evenings, here are a few things you should know before you start that first fire. Professional inspection can save you a lot of money If you haven’t had a certified chimney inspection Read more…

Fire is a common source of heat, and it’s also fascinating. Part of the unexplainable joy of warming by a fire in the fireplace is watching the dancing flames. To experience this pleasure in your home, a chimney is needed. Although chimneys are also mysteries to most people, they are routinely ignored by many homeowners. Oftentimes, people simply don’t recognize that annual Read more…

Many ways exist to bring (safe) fire to a backyard living space. You can go with a handsome outdoor fireplace or heating stove, both of which look amazing and can double to some degree as cooking appliances. But the simplest – and possibly most enjoyable – backyard fire appliance, for many people, is the traditional Read more…

  What do you do with your fireplace damper in the summer? Some people close it. Others leave it open. Others forget all about it, and it stays in whatever state it’s in until the next burning season. Of these three answers, the first is by far the best. Whether it’s a top-sealing damper that opens and closes at the exterior-top of the Read more…

Did you know it may cost you more than necessary to enjoy your wood-burning open masonry fireplace? If your fireplace was built or installed prior to 1992, when emission requirements changed, you can cut heating costs by switching to a new fireplace or fireplace insert. The change would also help to keep the environment cleaner. Read more…

Are you planning a move to a new home in the near future? Are you looking to buy a new home? In both cases, it will be a smart move to make sure a Level 2 real estate chimney inspection is performed. And here’s why. A home inspection doesn’t necessarily equal a chimney inspection While Read more…

If you have a masonry fireplace, it’s recommended that you close it up in spring; but you can use electric fireplaces year-around. Electric fireplaces provide the best answer to the question: How can I enjoy a fireplace but without heat? Thanks to innovation in technology and design, there is a perfect electric fireplace for everyone. Read more…