This winter, fires will be ablaze in fireplaces across the country. The holidays are fast approaching and with the holidays comes the family, the friends, and the parties, and man can it get cold. Make sure that your fireplace isn’t going to cause any problems or be a danger to this season by taking a [...]
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Sep
12
Sep
10
In my experience, people are more or less “chimney literate” based on the number of years they have been burning as well as whether or not they have experienced any problems in the past. Those who have experienced problems have more than likely been in contact with a professional who has given them some information and [...]
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Sep
9
Chimneys which may look and seem perfectly sound on the outside can exhibit extensive damage on the inside. A chimney must be structurally sound both inside and out in order to meet code standards for operation. Chimneys are made of different kinds of materials, whether brick, stone, or other construction material, and are used to vent [...]
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Sep
7
If you have vented gas logs in your home, hopefully you know that you need to have them serviced regularly to ensure maximum efficiency and to prevent any problems from occurring. You may know that gas logs, when working efficiently, are supposed to burn clean, but what then is done to the logs when they [...]
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Sep
6
When a chimney fire occurs or lightning strikes your chimney, damage is incurred. Most folks’ insurance policies cover such occurrences, and a chimney professional must try to help homeowners to make the insurance process go as smoothly as possible. My number one recommendation when it comes to insurance claims, no matter what kind of insurance, [...]
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Sep
5
When it comes to fitting gas logs in your existing masonry fireplace or a prefabricated firebox, one of the most important aspects is air space. Different gas log sets have a minimum clearance from the side walls of your firebox, and if your gas log sets have a safety pilot (most modern sets do) this [...]
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Sep
4
Dear Askthechimneysweep, I am considering purchasing a gas log set and am overwhelmed by all of the choices available to me. Should I opt for a fireplace gas blower with my gas log set? Are there benefits to having one versus not having one? Any guidance would be appreciated. Jim Cleveland,OH Jim, I’m so glad [...]
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Sep
1
Dear AsktheChimneySweep, My name is Rick and I’m from Illinois. After having my yearly chimney sweeping and inspection, the serviceman said that the chase cover had “rusted out” and needs to be replaced. I didn’t get a chance to ask him what this meant, he just left the invoice in the door with the recommended [...]
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Aug
22
So you’ve got a two or more level house, with fireplaces on each level connected by the same chimney flue. Older homes are usually where this situation can be found. A system such as this can cause many problems, including a smoking issue that can be very difficult to fix. Smoking problems that arise from a [...]
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Aug
1
Chimney leaks frequently come from three common areas on fireplace chimneys. Chimney crown leaks, chimney flashing leaks, and brick chimney leaks. Different factors affect a chimney’s ability to resist water penetration such as the age of the chimney, the type of construction materials used and the way it was constructed. In this article I’m going [...]
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