Blog
High-efficiency Fireplace Options
For homeowners who love to see a roaring fire burning in an open fireplace, the sad truth is that traditional wood-burning fireplaces do little to add heat to your home. Open-hearth fireplaces send an estimated 90% of the fire’s heat up your chimney, and lets out your...
Best Firewood for Clean-Burning, Long-Lasting Fires
Now that winter is here; firewood displays are a common sight in retailers and big box stores. It's easy to buy. Just drive in, load up and drive away. But the wood selection varies depending on the region of the country. So how do you know if you are getting the best...
Minimize Creosote Buildup
If you use a wood-burning fireplace, beautiful fires should be expected every time you fire up. So should the production of creosote. You can’t burn wood without creating at least some of this flammable smoke byproduct, but you can keep creosote buildup inside your...
5 Good Reasons You Need a Chimney Cap
You wouldn’t go out in the rain without an umbrella, would you? Okay, maybe you would – but your chimney should never be out in the elements without its own umbrella, better known as a chimney cap. Usually made of copper or steel, chimney caps sit atop the chimney...
Tips for Maintaining your Chimney Cap Screen
A chimney cap is an essential accessory for every home with a chimney. It plays an important role in protecting your house from water damage and fire. It also prevents critters from nesting in your chimney or getting into your home. While many homeowners are aware of...
How to remove wasps from your chimney
Winter is coming, temperatures are dropping and wasps are looking for a new home. Unfortunately for some homeowners, chimneys are a popular destination for wasps to nest and make their home. If your home is one that does have wasps in its chimney, don’t worry you’re...
Keeping wasps out of your chimney
Perhaps nothing can cause shrieks of terror and scurrying outside like a swarming wasp. Even worse is the terror caused by a wasp flying around inside your home. Most people abhor the thought of bees or wasps nesting in their home, and if you have a home with a...
Starting a chimney in a cold fireplace
It seems like common sense that you would start a fire in a cold fireplace. The cold is the reason you need the fire in the first place. However, you have to take care to preheat your fireplace properly, or you risk filling your home with smoke. Why preheating your...
Cold Air in Your Fireplace
Your fireplace should be a source of warmth and comfort. Unfortunately, some fireplaces have the opposite effect. Some fireplaces actually cool portions of your home, especially if you don't have a proper damper. This allows warm air to travel up and out of your home,...
Do Not Burn These Materials in Your Fireplace
With a fire roaring in your fireplace, it can be tempting to throw in the odd bit of paper or cardboard box. Before you toss something other than typical fireplace fuel on the flames, however, you should be aware of some materials that you should never burn in your...