Oct
What Happens If You Never Clean Your Chimney? A Year-by-Year Look at Buildup
Do you know that “Your chimney doesn’t break all at once. It gets a little dirtier every time you strike a match.” Soot and creosote continue to accumulate in the chimney flue if you don’t clean your chimney. As time goes on, your draft weakens, smoke begins to return to the room, and the risk […]
Sep
Black Flakes Are Falling into My Fireplace—Is It Creosote, and Is It Safe to Burn?
Do not light another fire. If black flakes are falling down into your firebox, that is advanced creosote buildup, and it is absolutely not safe to burn wood in your fireplace. Those dark, crusty flakes mean your chimney flue is heavily coated in highly flammable tar. Striking a match today can easily spark a devastating […]
Aug
Chicago Homeowner Guide to Chimney Cleaning: Safety, Costs, and Crucial Upkeep
Few things are more comforting than a warm fireplace during a freezing Chicago winter. Behind that cozy fire, however, is a chimney that handles smoke, heat, gases, and combustion byproducts every time you burn wood. Over time, soot, creosote, debris, and other materials can accumulate inside the flue and affect proper ventilation. Homeowners asking “How […]
