Chimney Advice
Plain explanations of the things homeowners ask us most, written to be useful whether or not you call us afterwards.
Start here
Creosote: The Three Stages and Why It Causes Chimney Fires
What creosote actually is, how it hardens from soot into a glazed tar, and why the stage it has reached changes what can be done about it.
Read the article →Everything else
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01
Sweeping
How Often Should a Chimney Be Swept?
The honest answer is not “once a year” — it depends on what you burn, how you burn it and what the flue looks like inside. Here is how to work out your own interval.
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02
Liners
Do You Need a New Chimney Liner When You Replace a Furnace?
Often yes — and for a reason most homeowners are never told. What flue sizing means and why a more efficient appliance can damage the chimney it vents into.
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03
Masonry
Why Hudson Valley Chimneys Crumble: Freeze-Thaw Explained
The mechanism behind spalled brick and open mortar joints, why a chimney gets it worse than the rest of the house, and what actually interrupts it.
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04
Inspection
Buying a Home? What a Level 2 Chimney Inspection Finds
A general home inspection is not a chimney inspection. What the camera scan shows before closing, and why the standard calls for one when a property changes hands.
Looking for a service instead?
These articles explain how chimneys work and go wrong. If you already know what you need, start with a chimney inspection, the repair symptom list, or chimney sweeping.
If you are not sure which of those applies, call and describe what you are seeing. That is usually faster than reading.