Dirty chimneys are simply a fact of life if you have a fireplace or a woodstove. As wood burns, a byproduct of the combustion process is smoke, which contains both soot and creosote. Soot is particles ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Maintaining your fireplace routinely is critical for safety. The cleaning process doesn't replace the service provided by a ...

If you didn’t clean your chimney during spring cleaning, it’s time to now before the temperatures get chilly. If you’re thinking “I cleaned out the ashes in April,” emptying the ashes isn’t enough.

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." If you burn wood routinely in your home, whether in a wood stove or a conventional fireplace, it’s ...

You get down next to your fireplace and crane your neck just enough to see up to the top of your chimney. You see a handful of cracks in the terra cotta clay lining here and there, but the bottom line ...

Chimney maintenance is an overlooked area but an essential part of home safety. You might not notice any physical signs that your chimney needs to be cleaned—but ignoring, or putting off, a regular ...

Nobody throws a party for their flue system. No one puts "schedule masonry inspection" on their vision board. But here's the ...