How Often Do You Use Your Fireplace?
Have you ever wondered how many people use their fireplace? There’s practically a fireplace (or three) in homes all across Chicago and the Chicagoland area. The fireplace has become the useable accessory in our family room, kitchen and even the bedrooms. But not everyone uses it…or do they? Here’s what we found out from a […]
Should I Schedule a Chimney Inspection Now?
It is true that the most popular times to schedule a chimney cleaning and inspection is either in the Fall or in the Spring, after a long cold winter. However, this winter has been extra special. According the NBC Chicago, from October through January 26, we only received 8.6” of snow. As we all enjoyed […]
How to Achieve a Picture Perfect Fireplace for Thanksgiving
Preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday is turning out to be a bit different. Gone this year is the uncle who throws crumbs of food and bits of trash in the fireplace. Or the kids that like to poke the fireplace logs sending sparks in every direction. This year, we get to create our own scene. […]
Do I Really Need to Clean the Chimney…Again?
The air conditioner cover is on, the furnace filter has been changed…now what am I forgetting? Ah, that’s right. Get the chimney sweep done. Do I really need to sweep the chimney this year? I use a gas fireplace. I don’t need to get it swept…right? Gas fireplaces are a great convenience as they can […]
You’ve Used Your Fireplace… Are You Taking Care of It?
In the past week, 3 chimney fires were reported in the news. There were two chimney fires in Park Ridge, one was in a townhouse, and the third chimney fire was in Kenosha, WI. Just in December, chimney fires were reported in Lake Zurich as well as in Springfield. As everyone is inundated with information […]
Winter Chimney & Fireplace Leaks
There are 2 key reasons why chimney’s leak in the winter:
Chimney Liner – Do you know if you have a chimney lining? If not, or if you are not sure, get your chimney inspected right away. If you do have a chimney liner, it may be the wrong size or it’s just seen better days. It’s best to have that inspected and taken care of.
Chimney Flashing – Water can sit in the flashing…then freeze…then thaw…then freeze again with the melted water making its way under the roof shingles and right into your home.
That’s Not the Smell of Turkey – Where’s the Smoke?
Yesterday, I went to a friend’s house for a ‘dry run’ for Thanksgiving Day. I have never participated in a dry run, so this was new. A ‘dry run’ is more about process and timing and not necessarily taste testing the food. Disappointing, but I think we all got that one down just fine. When […]
What to Do When You Haven’t Used the Fireplace in a Long Time
If you moved into a new home or decided to try the fireplace that you haven’t used in a few years, it’s best to have it inspected and cleaned. You shrug your shoulders, and tilt your head wondering, “why?” because
Chimney Serves as a Ventilation System, smells, animals.
A Chimney Holiday – For and From the Kids
Did you know… That as the holiday’s approach, our certified service technicians are asked 1-2 times more questions about the fireplace and chimney? We have found that the increase in questions come from a special age group: Under 7. Chimneys and fireplaces are a sensitive topic for the 7 and under. There’s a lot […]
A Fireplace for the Holidays
As the holiday’s approach, many homes take great pleasure in decorating the fireplace. Many of the decorations reflect where we are at in our lives…artful crafts made by children, pictures of past family celebrations mixed in with a few pumpkins, or elements of nature. The fireplace is the central point for family gatherings enjoying the […]
