Checking a chimney

Chimney safety should be a concern for every homeowner. Each year, lives and property are lost due to improper care and maintenance of chimneys. You can check some parts of the chimney yourself.

Hiring a chimney professional


Fireplace cleanup and wood stove cleanup after use

Todd Woofenden

After using your fireplace or wood stove, you need to clean up to be ready for the next time. Here’s how to clean your fireplace or wood stove.

Chimney Maintenance

Todd Woofenden

At least once each year you should have your chimney checked and cleaned if necessary, by a chimney professional.

Smoky woodstove: smoky endings

Todd Woofenden

If your stove seems to work okay once you get it going, but smokes when you are done using it, as the fire is going out, here are some possibilities.

Tips for wood stove users: 4 - 7

Todd Woofenden

Since there are countless different stove models in the field, each with its unique characteristics, it is beyond the scope of this book to cover the fine points of wood stove operation. But here are some general tips for all wood burners. A continuation of the Tips: 4 - 7

How stoves achieve clean burn

Todd Woofenden

All EPA-certified stoves have certain elements in common: Each incorporates a much-improved method of injecting combustion air into the firebox of the stove. The goal is to provide air in all the right places, to maximize the mixture of air and fuel, thereby maximizing combustion.

Fireplace odors

Todd Woofenden

As a general rule, in any case of fireplace odors, a chimney cleaning is in order if you haven’t had it done recently (and certainly, if it has been over a year and you use the fireplace). A buildup of soot in the chimney will increase odor problems significantly.

Four Pathways to Chimney Damage

Estoban Corporation

Did the crown erode and let water in? Did the mortar weaken, allowing the crown to settle… causing a cracked crown letting more water in.

A chimney fire can cause more damage than expected to masonry chimneys

Marge Padgitt

The number of damaged chimneys that homeowners are unaware of is staggering.

Removing soot stains from bricks and stone

Marge Padgitt

Soot stains over a fireplace can ruin a focal point in a room and detract from the beauty of the stone, tile, or brick facing. Long thought to be irremovable, there are some new techniques and products that can do the job.

Chimney self-check tips for homeowners

Todd Woofenden

Some tips that a homeowner can use when checking a chimney.

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Smoke Signals: Have a question about your chimney?