Blog

When it comes to fireplace and chimney safety, the chimney liner is one of the most important protective components. It stops carbon monoxide from seeping through porous bricks and mortar into your home. It prevents hot embers in the smoke from slipping through a crack in the flue and igniting combustible materials around the chimney. It also absorbs high […] Read more

Older chimneys built entirely of masonry were sturdy and nice-looking, but they did little in the way of protection from the devastating effects of chimney fires once the flames saturated the units’ building material.  The advent of metal chimney liners was a great breakthrough in safety as this material is much more resilient than traditional masonry. Increased resiliency, […] Read more

Do you have living or dead animals in your chimney?  That’s probably not something you get asked every day, but it’s a question well worth asking, because open chimneys are regularly inhabited by pests that cause serious problems. The animals commonly found in chimneys are smaller ones like squirrels, raccoons, birds, bats and similar species.  They go […] Read more

Have you ever had a leaky chimney? If you have, you know how important it is to keep water out of the chimney system. Excess moisture in a chimney can cause a wide range of problems from corroding the damper and disintegrating flue tiles to creating an ideal environment for toxic black mold to grow and […] Read more

Chimneys are amazing structures.  Because of them, you can burn fire after fire in your fireplace and always be safe from smoke and carbon monoxide inhalation as all of that gets channeled up the chimney and away from you.  However, when chimneys aren’t working properly, serious problems can result. How can you make sure your chimney is healthy […] Read more

If you’ve been operating your fireplace without a chimney cap, you’re not alone.  Many homeowners bypass this piece of equipment, not realizing how important it is for the safety and proper operation of their fireplaces.  Chimney caps perform two critical functions:   ·      They prevent sparks and embers from flying out the top of the chimney and […] Read more

When you invest in a wood burning stove, you want it to last. You should be able to use your wood burning stove as an effective, alternative heating source for decades. Like any wood-burning appliance, it may need to be replaced or repaired prematurely if it isn’t taken care of properly. There are 5 basic […] Read more

A chimney on a masonry fireplace, built strong with resilient bricks and mortar, can last for decades.  But its counterpart, a prefabricated chimney, is like most other appliances in a home and eventually will need repair work and finally replacement.  Prefab chimneys simply aren’t constructed in a way that allows them to keep on running decade after decade.  If you […] Read more

You’re buying a new home and will have a fireplace for the first time.  Or, you’re thinking of having a fireplace installed where you live now.  Either way, a fireplace is a wonderful amenity in any home and will provide you with years of beauty and enjoyment.  But like with any home appliance, fireplaces – and in particular, chimneys – need […] Read more

Have you noticed that bricks on your chimney are cracked or crumbling? If you have, it means that your chimney has a spalling problem. “Spalling” or deterioration of brickwork is a common problem that occurs when moisture penetrates the bricks and mortar. As the moisture inside the masonry expands and contracts, it breaks it down causing it to […] Read more