The cooler winter months seem to bring an influx of home buyers, especially in the California market, and homes with fireplaces are in high demand. If you’re the one selling your home, you may wonder why your chimney needs to be inspected – can’t you leave that to the buyer? Like the question, the answer… Read more »
Posts By: A Fiddler On The Roof
Why Your Gas Fireplace is Producing Soot
Have you noticed that the decorative logs, glass, or walls of your gas fireplace are starting to get a soot-like substance on them? If yes, then it needs to be investigated. Gas fireplaces are typically tuned specifically to produce either yellow or blue flames, and typically produce very minimal soot. So, if you have noticed… Read more »
3 Items to Never Burn in a Fireplace
If you use your chimney regularly, there is nothing you can do to prevent it from getting dirty. However, you can slow it down by burning proper seasoned wood in your fireplace. Yet, it is rare that seasoned wood is the only thing you burn in your fireplace. It seems like a sensible place to… Read more »
When Critters Call Your Chimney Home
Animals often discover that a chimney provides warmth, protection from the elements and a great place to build a home. For the animal, a chimney can be paradise, but animals living in a chimney brings a great deal of distress to a homeowner in several ways. Birds, raccoons, bats and squirrels are the most common… Read more »
Do You Need to Have Gas Fireplaces Cleaned?
While even new homeowners know that regular cleaning is required for ash and carbon-producing wood fireplaces, there is some question as to whether the increasingly popular gas fireplaces have the same need. After all, they aren’t burning wood, they are burning propane or natural gas, so are they producing the same dangerous creosote that will… Read more »
Why Does My Chimney Make My Home Smell?
Ideally, you should never be able to smell your chimney inside your home, but it does attract an odd smell over time. The creosote byproduct of burning wood will build up on the masonry, leaves can get in and start to decay, leaks can lead to an unpleasant moldy smell, and unfortunately sometimes creatures get… Read more »
Understanding the Importance of Annual Chimney Inspections
During warm weather, your fireplace is probably not at the top of your mind. However, it’s important to have your chimney inspected before winter arrives. Scheduling a chimney inspection during summer or fall will let you safely enjoy your fireplace when winter comes. The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends having your chimney inspected… Read more »
Progression of the Chimney Sweep
In Europe a few centuries ago, chimney sweeps were commonly children as young as six years old. Young children did this job because, given their size, they could go from bottom to top inside narrow chimneys to remove soot, obstructions, etc. Children completing this dangerous of a job was eventually outlawed. And, thankfully, today’s chimney… Read more »